Binding Enchantment
by The Grim Phantasm- FEAR
Summary: Love is a fearful and yet amazing spell that is difficult to break. Though many try, it is hard to overcome the feelings in ones heart. His heart yearns for her, and her heart for him, even after she is promised to another. HowlxSophie, based on movie.
1. Ponderings and a Realization

**Disclaimer: I am not nearly amazing enough to even pretend I own Howl's Moving Castle. All I may do is occasionally borrow the characters and play around with them. And then you read about it, and my life as a writer is a little more fulfilling.**

**So, without further ado,**

**.:BINDING ENCHANTMENT**:.

The kiss had seemed so innocent at the time. Just a simple little affectionate peck between friends. They'd been out on the balcony, sailing over beautiful landscape. He'd taken one look at her, in her breezy yellow dress and silver starlight hair, and he'd felt an urge to place his lips on hers... they'd both dismissed it later as just a kiss. A kiss that meant nothing.

And nothing changed between them. She returned to cleaning the castle as always, and he went about his business. Nothing changed.

Except for the rapid beating in his chest from the long-absent heart that occurred whenever he looked at her. His Sophie.

No. Not his Sophie. Just Sophie Hatter, the cleaning lady. She was clearing the table now, and he couldn't tear his eyes away. She was finally wearing one of the dresses he had given her- the light shade of purple suited her well. The collar dipped a little too low for her taste, but he thought the dress only brought out the natural beauty she was sure she didn't have...

"Howl?"

Her sparkling brown eyes met his vivid blue ones, and they both realized he'd been staring. He quickly averted his gaze instead to the table top.

"Yes?" Howl answered, his voice slightly hoarse from lack of use.

"Are you through?" Sophie acknowledged the plate in front of him. Though he'd barely touched his food, he pushed it away in silent signal that he wasn't hungry. Sophie took the plate, muttering that he should eat more or he would waste away. But looking at her, having her there, it just made him lose his appetite.

This was no time to be thinking of her. Of how stunning she always appeared to him. He pushed back from the table and stood quickly, causing the chair to topple over backwards. He didn't bother to pick it up.

"Calcifer," Howl commanded the fire demon that currently consumed leftovers from the meal, "Heat the water for my bath"

"Yes, Howl," was the orange flames impatient reply. And the wizard disappeared up the stairs. His last glimpse of Sophie was her picking up the chair with an irritated sigh.

Minutes later, Howl sat half-submerged in warm water, tracing swirling patterns over the surface with one finger. Every few second a small drop of water would fall from a lock of his raven-black hair and create tiny ripples that never seemed to stop. He was still thinking of Sophie.

Frustrated, Howl held his breath and slipped completely under, wanting to shut out the world. He wanted to retreat, to hide from all the complicated emotions that seized him whenever he looked at her, or heard her voice. Slowly he allowed his breath to escape in small bubbles between his pale lips until his head spun and his lungs screamed for air.

He resurfaced with a deep, gasping breath. His dark hair was plastered to his face, and he shook it dry. Why did Sophie always make him feel so hopeless? Like he couldn't live without her? In his frustration, he slammed his fist into the wall, sending a spider web of cracks erupting through the plaster.

Of course, the voice at the door a moment later was hers.

"Howl?"

The sound of her saying his name sent shivers all through him. He didn't answer, knowing she would say it again...

"Howl?!" her voice had grown more urgent when he did not respond, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine," Howl replied, standing up and getting out of the bathtub. He hesitated a moment before saying her name in conclusion, "Sophie."

"What's going on?" she persisted. The doorknob clicked softly and he knew she was resting her beautiful, slender hand on it.

"I dropped something," Howl lied, pulling a towel securely around his waist and finger-combing his hair. It was then that he realized his knuckles were bleeding, as he had cut them on a sharp piece of broken plaster. Hastily he wiped the blood on the towel.

"Oh," Sophie's voice was drowned out by the sound of the doorbell. Howl had recently disguised one entrance to his home as the entrance to a potion shop. No doubt it was a customer calling on them. Markl would take care of it. Howl listened as the click of Sophie's heels grew softer in departure.

Moments later, a shriek of protest stirred alarm in Howl's newly-regained heart. With a quick wave of his hand he was dressed in a loose-fitting white shirt and black pants. He raced downstairs to find Sophie struggling against the grip of-

"Turnip Head?" Howl exclaimed in disbelief. He corrected himself when the prince shot him a glare. "Excuse me, your highness."

Howl further assessed the situation. Sophie's brown eyes were wide in surprise, and Prince Justin's hands were gripped around both her wrists. Howl narrowed his eyes into a hateful glare.

"My apologies," the former scarecrow excused himself politely, releasing Sophie, "I merely returned for Sophie, to see if she was willing to accompany me on an outing"-

Howl would hear nothing of it. A flick of his wrist and the prince was forcefully turned around. Another and he was walking away, shouting in protest to the wizards magical control of his body. And a third flick slammed the door behind him.

But when Sophie turned to face Howl, her eyes were angry. "You didn't have to do that!" she shouted, her hands balled into fists.

Howl was taken aback. "You were screaming," he argued defensively.

"He'd only startled me!" Sophie answered before turning on her heel and leaving the castle to follow the prince.

Howl sighed hopelessly, and sunk into a chair, burying his face in his hands. Markl, who'd stayed silent, politely left the room.

"Don't get so worked up," Calcifer soothed from his place on the hearth.

But Howl wasn't listening. He got up and began to climb the stairs, cursing all of them under his breath as he went. He reached the balcony in no time. The place where all his confusion had first started. Without a second thought he launched himself over the rail.

An instant before he splattered to the hard earth below, he swooped up, now taking the appearance of an immense bird-like creature. He no longer worried about taking this form- having his heart back made it easier to transform into a man again.

He ascended higher, watching the castle disappear below him until it was just a tiny, moving speck. He swept through the air in an elaborate dance, trying to forget her. But even miles above the earth, he couldn't get Sophie out of his mind. His Sophie.

No! Not his Sophie. If anything, she was the prince's Sophie now. She would never belong to him. That familiar sense of hopelessness overtook him. He folded in his wings and dropped like a stone out of the sky.

Would she care if he allowed his body to shatter against the unforgiving stones below? Would she have cared if he had gone through with drowning himself earlier? Did she care about him at all? The way he cared about her?

The ground was rushing rapidly up at him, and he made a snap decision that her affection was not worth killing himself over. Besides, if he was dead he'd never find out if she did care about him at all. He spread his wings again and eased into a harmless glide an inch above the tips of the grass.

For many hours he continued soaring, contemplating his feelings for Sophie as he did so. Could it be... perhaps... that he loved her?

The sky had grown dark by the time he reached this conclusion. He, the great wizard Howl. Had fallen in love with the sweet and venerable Sophie Hatter.


	2. Longings and an Argument

**See chapter one for disclaimer.**

It was a spectacular feeling when he realized that the confusion he'd been feeling was in truth, love. He loved her! That kiss _had _been something more. It had been love. He loved her.

Moments later he swept down to the castle's front door, transforming into his usual form before throwing the heavy wooden barrier aside and rushing over the threshold.

"Howl!" Calcifer greeted with shock.

"Where's Sophie?" Howl demanded, keeping his voice soft to avoid waking Markl, the former witch, or the dog, Heen.

"Asleep," the fire demon answered, shifting to face the curtained-off area Sophie still insisted on using as her bedroom.

Howl approached quietly so as not to wake her, and pulled the curtain aside. The glow of Calcifer's flame flickered across her face; her eyelashes cast long shadows on her pale cheeks. He smiled down at this picture of peaceful innocence.

Carefully, he pulled the blanket up securely around Sophie's shoulders, and brushed a few silky strands of hair off her face. With a sweep of his hand, a pink rose magically bloomed from nothingness, resting on the pillow beside her. She stirred slightly, at which point Howl retreated quickly.

The next morning, he all but flew down the stairs, eager to inform Sophie of his newly-discovered feelings. His face fell when he saw her tying on a bonnet in preparation to go out.

"Morning, Sophie," he greeted her softly, "Going somewhere?"

"Oh!" Sophie turned, surprise written all over her face. "Howl... I was just going out. Prince Justin asked me to go horseback riding with him."

Howl's spirits sunk further as the doorbell rang. Sophie was gone with a hurried farewell, which he could not return. His eyes remained glued on the object he'd spotted on the floor. There, flattened as though crushed with a shoe, was the pink rose he had left for Sophie.

He gingerly picked up the distorted blossom, cradling it in his palm. It could have been a simple accident. It could have fallen to the floor due to a shift in the mattress, and been unnoticed when it was stepped on in her haste. Or it could have been a calm, indirect rejection. He crushed the already destroyed rose in his palm, and allowed the petals to drift to the floor one by one. He stared at the pile of crushed pink petals for a moment, before they withered and turned to dust beneath his sad gaze.

Sophie was gone the whole day, and well into the night. And while she was gone, Howl remained in his room, lamenting his despair. Markl took care of customers, Calcifer kept the castle moving, and all was a peace.

Until that evening, that is. The instant Sophie opened the door, Howl came flying down the stairs again, coming to a halt only when his face was an inch from Sophie's.

"You're out late," Howl remarked casually, his blue eyes boring into Sophie's. She blushed a shade of rosy crimson and looked away.

"Well, I lost track of the time," Sophie answered a little too defensively, trying to get past him.

But her efforts were futile. A small movement of her hand and the stone on her finger caught the light, and Howl clearly saw the flash. He seized Sophie's wrist before she realized he had noticed. He held her hand up so he could study it. Study the large diamond and sapphire ring that had been placed upon it.

"He proposed," Howl remarked disgustedly, grasping Sophie's wrist too tightly in his hand. Sophie did not reply, or cry out in pain that she so obviously felt. She merely looked away in shame. Fury rising, Howl hastily snatched the ring off and flung it into the flames of Calcifer's being.

"What do you want from me, Sophie?!" Howl demanded, his voice booming loud enough to make the young girl cover her hears with her hands. "What can he give you that I can't?" His eyes began to burn like blue flames. "What do you want? Pretty clothes?"

A violent sweep of his arm made the cloth of Sophie's blue cotton dress billow out into an extravagant silk gown. The skirt swept out, ruffling in an elaborate design and falling to rest as the hem touched lightly against the floor. Sophie shrieked as this went on, begging Howl to stop meddling with her affairs.

"Howl," she protested desperately, backing away in fearful surprise. But he would hear none of it.

"Jewels?" Howl demanded again. And with another sharp movement hundreds of gems were budding from her dress, in her hair, and materializing in an exuberant jeweled choker at her neck.

"Howl stop!" Sophie was angry now, rather than frightened, "Do you honestly think I am so shallow that I only care about gowns and jewelry?" She tore the necklace away from her throat and threw it at Howl, nailing him just below his left eye. He looked on, remaining still as she began to tear at her dress to shreds with her nails, throwing each scrap of cloth and each small jewel at him. He silently endured it, watching her undo all his hard work.

"Then what do you want?" the wizard demanded, the fire in his eyes dying into a dull overcast of sorrow. Sophie stopped tearing crystals from her hair to look at him.

Even like this, she was a sight to behold. Even with her eyes furious, he hair wild, and her beautiful dress hanging from her slender form in tatters, he still thought she was the most beautiful and amazing woman he had ever laid eyes on.

"I want someone who doesn't blow up at me every time he gets mildly upset!" Sophie snapped in response, glaring daggers at him when she caught him staring. But he could not tear his eyes away. She turned around rapidly and stalked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Howl asked, trying to follow. He wouldn't lose her. He _couldn't_ lose her.

"My wedding!"

That stopped him. He allowed her to leave, slamming the door behind her as she went. When she was gone, he fell to his knees, cradling his head in his hands while his shoulders were racked with sobs. He'd never been able to tell her what he had longed to say. And even if he did get the chance again, she was promised to another man. Would she accept his adoration? Would she even listen to what he had to say, after that display?

"You're not going to call on the powers of darkness, are you?" Calcifer, who'd been quiet all this time, inquired.

"No," he answered softly, "My Sophie wouldn't like that." And with that, Howl retreated to his room, locking the door behind him. Once alone, he threw himself onto the bed and began to cry again.

He'd lost her. His Sophie had left, and he had driven her away. How could he have let this happen? The love of his life was gone, off in the arms of another man.

And the great wizard Howl was left alone again, as though she had never entered his world. The only difference now was that he had a heart to be broken.

And she... his Sophie... had unknowingly shattered it.


	3. Confessions and a Promise

For six days Sophie did not return. And for those six long days, Howl remained confined to his room. Markl often pleaded at his door, begging the wizard to at least eat something. But Howl always turned down the offer violently.

Both Markl and Calcifer knew that only Sophie's return would tempt Howl out of his chamber. And with each passing day, their concern mounted. If Sophie never came back to the castle, that meant they'd lose both their housekeeper and their master. They either had to make Howl forget the girl he loved, or bring her back by persuasion or force.

Day six of this madness, Calcifer feared that Howl would starve to death if this went on much longer. He was about to send Markl up with the means of forcing the lock on Howl's bedroom door. But before he could request this, the doorbell ring. Pulling on his disguise, Markl answered it.

There, in the doorway, stood Sophie Hatter, though Calcifer and Markl could hardly recognize her. She looked better than ever with a breezy green sun dress, a new ring on her finger, and an emerald pendant glittering on a silver chain around her neck. Her silvery hair was pinned up in a tight bun with a number of jeweled ornaments. Her eyes shone with the same intensity of the gems, her every feature radiating happiness.

"Markl!" She exclaimed, scooping the little boy up into a captivating hug, "I've missed you all so!"

"It seems your prince is spoiling you," Calcifer remarked in bitter greeting, narrowing his eyes into glaring slits.

Sophie blushed and placed a stunned-looking Markl on the floor. "I suppose," she muttered in reply as her fingers brushed over her pendant. She glanced about quickly. "Where's Howl?"

"In his room," Markl answered, bending down to scratch Heen behind his ears.

"Where he has been for six days," Calcifer finished, his voice ironically cold for a fire demon.

The joyful gleam in Sophie's eyes quickly morphed to a shine of worried distress. "Six days?" she repeated in disbelief. A moment later she was racing up the stairs, and in a flash she was rapping her knuckles against the door.

"Howl!" she called urgently, "It's Sophie! Please let me in."

She heard the lock click and instant later. Carefully she pushed the door open, afraid of what she would find.

At first glance, Sophie was sure the room was empty. But sure enough, through the darkness, she soon was able to make out a figure slumped against the wall. She approached slowly, and Howl's form became more clear with each step. His head was rested in his hand, pale fingers laced through dark hair. His elbow was propped against his knee, which kept his head from falling forward in an even more pathetically hopeless slump.

"Howl," Sophie said his name softly, kneeling in front of him. His blue eyes remained hidden behind his bangs. She gently arrested his free hand between both of her own, shocked at how thin it felt. "Howl," she spoke again, "I'm so sorry."

His hand twitched between hers, and a nearby candle flickered to life. Howl raised his head, meeting her gaze with his sunken, bloodshot eyes. These grief-clouded eyes studied her, and he opened his mouth to speak. But instead, he fell forward, leaning his head against Sophie's shoulder.

Sophie remained perfectly still as his hand slid up her arm, then her neck, until it reached her head. Silently she allowed him to free the pins from her hair one by one and drop them to the floor. When her silver tresses finally cascaded freely down the back of her neck, he knotted his fingers in it, clutching the back of her head. He pulled his other hand out of hers and looped it around her waist, pressing her body close against his.

He pulled his head up once more and met her eyes again. His dry lips parted, and his voice came in a whisper. "Sophie," his breath smelled sweet and intoxicating, "I think I may be in love with you."

Without waiting for her response, he pushed her mouth against his in a forceful, yet surprisingly gentle kiss. She squirmed for a moment in protest before giving in. She slid her hands up over his shoulders and around his neck, moving her body fo it fit perfectly with his,

This kiss was unlike the friendly one they had exchanged on the balcony. There was a shared passion in this kiss, pulsing intensely within both hearts and both mouths. Howl gently slid his tongue over the crevice between Sophie's lis. She parted them eagerly, allowing his tongue to become lovingly entangled with hers. His hand slid slowly up over her ribs, exploring her body with his fingertips.

She pulled back with a gasp as his hand brushed softly over her chest. "Stop," she breathed airily, pushing against his chest with her palms, "I can't. I'm engaged."

Howl gazed at Sophie longingly, but tore his eyes away after only a few moments. He dropped his hands to his sides, releasing her. She did not flee as he feared she would. Rather, she remained where she sat, still pressed into him.

"Howl, I love you, too," she admitted, brushing his hair out of his eyes, "But I've agreed to wed Prince Justin. The wedding is in a month." She leaned her head against Howl's chest, listening to his heart beating, "I want to be with you, but I can't go back on my word."

"Why not?" Howl pleaded, wrapping his arms around her again, "Just tell him you changed your mind."

"Howl, I have my family to think about," Sophie argued, "I can support my sisters now. Since the war ended, it's been so difficult for them to find work."

"Then what shall I do?" he inquired, his tone overflowing with sorrow and distress. A long silence filled the room. Then, Sophie spoke very softly.

"I'll return," she promised, "I pledge my word. I'll keep returning. No matter what, I'll always come back to you."

"Being unfaithful to the prince?" Howl questioned skeptically, "Isn't that dangerous? He may try to hurt you if he found out."

"I'm willing to risk it if you are," Sophie offered, tilting her head up to kiss Howl's jaw. He pondered this for a moment before the corner of his mouth turned up in a half-smile.

"I'll connect one of the castle doorways to your closet door," Howl promised with a nod, gently stroking her hair, "Just knock when you're sure you're alone. I'll be there whenever you need me."

"Thank you," Sophie whispered, "I'll try to knock every night after I retire for bed. I love you."

"I love you, my Sophie."

Their lips met again in another passionate kiss. This time when Howl caressed her body, Sophie allowed it. She obliged when he unbuttoned her dress and slid it away, did not flee when he brought her to the bed, and willingly became one with him.


	4. Worries and an Arrangement

"Sophie?"

Howl gently shook Sophie's shoulder, trying to ease her into the waking world. Both of them wore only the pendants around their necks, and there was more than enough evidence to alert someone to what had happened between them last night. Sophie stretched luxuriously, yawned, and opened her beautiful brown eyes to gaze up at her beloved.

"Sophie," Howl said softly, his voice a mixture of unfathomable adoration and growing concern, "It's morning. You should be getting back to ol' Turnip."

"Oh!" Sophie sat bolt upright, her face now a flawless expression of worry, "Right! I told him I'd be back last night! I have to go!"

Howl watched as she practically fell out of bed, discarding all thoughts of modesty as she rushed around his room in search of her clothes. He lit a number of candles to aid her search, but otherwise only sat in bed watching her. She was, at last, his Sophie. So why did he have to give her up to another? She'd promised to return, but how long would he be able to tolerate knowing when she was away from him, she was in the arms of another man?

She was fully dressed now, and struggling to pin her hair up as it had been the previous day. Howl stood, also thinking nothing of his own modesty, and went to assist her. She stood still and silent as his fingers wove through her hair, perfectly mimicking the style it had been pinned into. Even after he finished, he lingered behind her, keeping his hands near her neck. He leaned over her shoulder to whisper softly in her ear.

"Sophie, you promise you will come back to me?" he inquired, his voice barely audible though his lips were barely a centimeter from her ear. He looped one arm around her torso, binding her to him. She did not struggle.

"Of course I will," Sophie pledged, turning around despite his hold on her so she could look into his eyes as she made this promise.

"Can you understand how much I love you?" Howl asked, his eyes pleading. He wished she did not have to leave. That she did not have to marry the prince. But she was already promised to him, and she kept her promises.

"I think I understand," Sophie replied. There was regret in her eyes and voice as well. He could tell that her longings were the same as his.

"Then, I'll allow you to go to him," Howl replied unwillingly, taking his arms away from her body and letting them hang limply at his sides. Sophie's eyes now held immense sadness as she gazed at him. Standing on tiptoe, she planted a quick kiss on his mouth before turning to scurry away. He watched her go, wanting to hold her close and never have to give her up to anyone.

Several minutes later, when fully dressed and looking proper, Howl descended the stairs as well. As soon as he reached the bottom step, he was met by quizzical stares from Markl and Calcifer, as well as a knowing look from the former witch. They'd undoubtedly taken notice that neither he nor Sophie had emerged from the bedroom since her arrival. He said nothing, allowing them to draw their own conclusions. Instead he grabbed a book and sat down at the kitchen table, pretending to read.

But all he could think about was her. His Sophie. How he could win her, keep her from the prince's loving embrace. The thought of his Sophie in Turnip Head's arms, allowing him to kiss her... this vision made Howl visibly shudder.

But, until he could find some way to snatch her away, he'd allow their secretive little affair to continue. After Sophie's next visit, he'd attach the door to his home to her closet or some other room she could access alone. They could continue meeting in secret until Sophie could leave the prince and return exclusively to him.

But her family... her sisters could benefit greatly from Sophie's wealth as the prince's bride. Could she abandon her family as she abandoned her false lover?

Howl went through the whole day trying to come up with a solution. But every thing he came up with always ended in the same assumed way; Sophie being too righteous and refusing. She did not return that night, as he assumed she would not. He was tempted to sneak into the castle and keep an eye on her, just in case the prince had learned of her betrayal.

How would she be punished if they were ever discovered? Would she be imprisoned? Put to death, even? Or would she escape the prosecution unscathed? And did that mean he would be forever separated from his Sophie by being stripped of his powers and killed? Was there any way to get away with it? Was the prince a forgiving type? Or would they simply have to be separated of their own accord to avoid such brutal fates? Such questions nagged at him mind for the three days he waited for Sophie to come back.

On the third day of Sophie's absence, when Howl was beginning to contemplate going after her, the doorbell rang. He allowed Markl to answer, not willing to risk it if it was a customer rather than his lover. But as soon as the door was opened, he heard her musical voice call out to him in greeting.

He met her with a firm embrace, lifting her off her feet and twirling her about. She looked more like the Sophie Hatter he knew today; he hair was down and she wore a floor-length cotton dress and white apron. Of course, though, her engagement ring still glittered on her finger. Nonetheless, not caring that they were under the watchful eyes of both Calcifer and Markl, Howl kissed her long and slow, expressing his love for her and how much he missed her without having to say a word.

"The prince got suspicious that first day I went back," Sophie said when they parted, "But I was able to convince him that I merely stayed because I had missed you all so much, and you'd allowed the castle to become so filthy in my absense.

"But he will suspect something eventually," Howl stated worriedly, "We can't go on like this forever."

"We'll go on like this until I find an excuse to leave him," Sophie promised, "The smallest argument he has with me, and I'll leave him forever and come back home."

Howl smiled when Sophie referred to his castle as home. He embraced her tightly again, as though letting her go meant losing her forever. Markl and Calcifer asked no questions. They'd figured out what was going on.

Minutes passed before Sophie and Howl broke their embrace. And the instant she was out of his arms, Howl started barking orders. Sophie told of a library that was attached to the room she had been given. The appropriate spell was performed, and when Sophie next opened the door to the castle, she found herself stepping onto the polished hardwood floor of her bedroom at prince Justin's palace.

"Just knock when you want to see me," Howl instructed, closing the door before they could be discovered, "Make sure you are alone. And when you find free time, come visit us the traditional way so Turnip doesn't assume that you've stopped caring about us.

Sophie nodded in agreement, before stating that she must get back or the prince may grow upset with her again. The dial turned, and the door opened to the cobblestone streets she'd entered at. And with a quick kiss, she departed. Howl smiled to himself, satisfied with the arrangement despite knowing that she was promised to the prince.

"Calcifer," he commanded cheerily, "Heat the water for my bath."

This was done. The rest of the day passed as though Sophie Hatter had never existed. They went about their business as they always did. Except for the fact that Howl's heart was racing in anticipation of seeing her again tonight.

It seemed an eternity before the sun slipped below the horizon and darkness spilled over the land. Howl sat at the kitchen table, drumming his fingers against the wood impatiently.

Then, a knock at the door. The dial turned, Markl answered, and in walked Sophie.

"Good evening, Howl," she greeted with a smile as the door was closed.

"Good evening, Sophie," he returned her greeting, standing up. Without warning, he swept her up into his arms, kissing her tenderly. They may be forced to go through their lives telling lies and keeping secrets, but at least he could have her.

His Sophie.


	5. Thrills and a Decision

For weeks this arrangement worked without obstacle. Every evening at the Prince's castle, Sophie would excuse herself to go to bed, lock the bedroom door, knock at the library, and spent the night in Howl's arms. Only a few meddlesome, gossiping maids of the palace had any suspicions. The prince himself was under the impression that Sophie was an honorable, innocent girl who merely went to bed early and awoke late.

Where there should have been fear of discovery, there was, instead, the thrill of their forbidden romance. That thrill made everything more exciting and passionate. The secret Howl and Sophie shared only bound them more closely.

But for Howl, the thrill of this forbidden secret came with blinding jealousy. For thought Sophie was with him every night without fail, he knew she was with the prince by day. He knew she allowed that man to hold her, kiss her, put his hand on her waist. Howl didn't like it, knowing someone else dared lay hands on his Sophie, and being completely helpless to stopping it.

It was a night like any other that came before it. As soon as darkness took over, Markl retreated to his room and Howl waited at the table, impatiently watching the door. His heart raced when he envisioned his Sophie in the doorway, waiting for him. He knew how it would go; they'd kiss, and then talk awhile before retreating upstairs. Since that first night they'd pledged their love, they had not committed that binding act again. They simply lied contentedly in each other's arms.

Minutes passed.

Hours passed.

Sophie did not knock. Howl felt his mind become flooded by panic. Would this be the night they were discovered? Would he ever see his beloved Sophie again? He nervously chewed his bottom lip.

"What could be keeping her?" Howl finally wondered aloud, getting to his feet.

"Just be patient," Calcifer advised calmly, "I'm sure everything's fine."

But Howl could not be reassured. He paced frantically, every horrific possibility running through his mind.

Had she been caught?

Was she being punished?

Would soldiers storm his home within moments to destroy him?

Or could it be something worse…?

Could it be that she was with her prince, and no longer desired Howl's company?

Howl was ready to give up when there was a knock at the door. In a heartbeat he flung it wide, eagerly inviting Sophie in.

"You should have Markl answer the door," Sophie scolded, as she had many times before, "Had it been a soldier investigating, rather than me, you'd have no chance to escape."

Howl shrugged and threw his arms around her, buttering that he'd begun to worry. She returned the embrace happily, allowing the door to close gently behind her.

But after a moment the happiness drained from Sophie's face. "Howl," she said softly, "We need to talk."

He'd heard the pain in her voice. "What is it?" he asked worriedly, pulling away and holding her at arm's length.

"I'm getting worried," Sophie reminded him, holding up her hand with the engagement ring on it, "The wedding's only a week away.:

This had been an issue both had avoided discussing for the weeks they had been together. Howl's heart sank with the realization that they were running out of time. What would they do when Sophie and the prince had been married? When she had a royal reputation at stake? When Justin expected to produce an heir for him?

Howl averted his blue eyes so he would not have to look at the ring on Sophie's finger. He did not want to believe that he could be losing his Sophie.

"We have to stop this," she went on to say, also lowering her eyes in sadness. Howl snapped his head up to protest.

"No we don't!" he argued desperately, "We can still be together! Just…" he grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight, "Don't go back. Stay here with me forever."

"I can't," Sophie's voice was choked with tears, "I can't just leave him. I swore to be his."

"You swore to be mine," Howl replied defensively, "You're mine! You belong to me!"

"Howl, don't make this any harder than it has to be," Sophie pleaded tearfully.

"Don't leave me just yet," Howl begged, holding both of her hand in his own now, "If you must go, then at least stay until the eve of the wedding. I don't want to lose you just yet…"

A long silence.

"Very well," Sophie agreed at last, "Until the eve of the wedding." She looked up at him, tears spilling down her face now. "I don't want to lose you, either."

He pulled her close to him. For only another week he'd be allowed to hold her like this. Then their love, however brief it had been, would come to a screeching halt.

No.

He would not let that happen. As he held her, feeling her tears soak into the cloth of his shirt, he became determined not to give her up. She would be his Sophie forever, whatever the cost may be.


	6. Pleadings and a Plan

**Ha! At long last, the next chapter is posted. I apologize for the delay my dear readers; I have recently been devoting my life to writing my new hopeful-novel, **_**Artistic Entanglement.**_** But I return loyally to these borrowed characters.**

**Enjoy...**

The week passed by faster than it was natural for any seven days to pass. And with each hour that ticked away, the pain within Howl's heart grew, knowing it was just another hour closer to the moment he'd have to surrender his dear Sophie forever. And each time he saw her, she looked ever wearier, sadder, and distressed. She was a mere shadow of her old self.

Day five of their final week. The next night would be their last together, and the night after, Sophie would be lying beside Prince Justin instead.

Howl watched his dear Sophie carefully. Her face was a great deal paler, her eyes a great deal more sunken, and her every movement was filled with despair. She was slumped over her needlepoint, facing Calcifer. They hadn't spoken at all since her arrival. They just sat in perfect silence. Sophie watched her needle, Howl watched Sophie.

His mind, as usual, was spinning with ways he could sweep her away. He'd told her nothing of his schemes, knowing she'd only go on about her honor to her commitment. So far, he only had one plan...

"Sophie," he broke the silence, calling out softly to his darling. She looked up, a mockery of a smile on her face.

"Yes?" she inquired, laying down the pattern in her lap.

"Don't leave me," Howl pleaded once more, as he had countless times throughout the past five days. Sophie sighed in exasperation, and returned to her needlepoint.

"Howl, you know I have no choice," she scolded gently, "I'm engaged to the Prince. I need to support my sisters, and I can't just break it off now."

"You promised me!" he reminded her, getting to his feet in his passionate anger, "You promised you'd find a way, and we could be together!"

"Howl, sit down," Sophie said sternly, "We've been over this."

"You did promise," Calcifer put in. The glare Sophie shot at him was enough to make even the fire demon shrink back.

"Sophie, look at yourself," Howl pleaded, approaching her, "You're wasting away. You're unhappy. I can't just give you up to that Prince, not with you like this! It's not healthy. He can't make you happy."

"Howl, I'm touched by your concern," Sophie replied, still refusing to meet his gaze, "But we're both going to have to learn to live with this."

"I _refuse_!" Howl insisted angrily. Turning rapidly, he threw a chair into the wall in a blind rage. The wood splintered and the chair exploded into many small pieces. Sophie jumped, and her needlepoint fell to the floor.

"Howl!" Sophie shouted, standing up. He turned to look at her, his angry blue eyes met her angry brown ones. For a long while, both just glared at each other, fuming. Howl eventually sighed and calmed down.

"I'm not going to give you up so easily," he explained, fighting to keep his voice level, "I _love _you, Sophie."

"I love you, too"-

"Then why are you giving up without a fight?"

Another long pause. Sophie slumped her shoulders, and bowed her head, allowing her silver hair to fall into her eyes. Justin had recently tried to dye it and make her appear more acceptable, but the attempts had failed.

"Howl, I just can't argue with you anymore," she said sadly, looking up. Tears glittered on her eyelashes. In an instant, Howl was there to brush them away with his fingertips. But she shoved his hands away.

"I have to go," she insisted, turning away. Howl frantically caught her by the arm, rooting her to the spot.

"Sophie, please," he begged again, "Don't do this. Don't leave me!"

"Howl, I have to!" Sophie argued sternly again, though tears were now gliding down her cheeks, "I'm getting married. I can't stay with you any more."

"You said we had until the eve of the wedding," Howl reminded her, the despair in his voice growing in intensity.

"I can't stay here anymore!" Sophie replied, trying to pull away from him. But he had a tight hold on her, refusing to allow her to flee. "If I stay a moment longer, I'll never be able to go back!"

"Don't go back!" Emotions swam through his eyes now as he pleaded with her to remain with him. It wasn't working. He was losing her.

"Howl..." she spoke tenderly now, placing her slender hand on Howl's shoulder, "You know I love you. I always will. But I promised to marry the prince, and I'm going to."

"Marry _me_."

Silence.

She stared at him in disbelief. He looked at her stonily, waiting for her reply. After what seemed like an eternity compared to the horribly fast five days, she sighed and shook her head.

"Take good care of yourself," she replied without giving an answer. She managed to free her arm from his grip and rushed for the door.

"Sophie, wait!" He could feel tears welling in his own eyes, but was able to blink them back. She obeyed, turning to face him.

He rushed to her, taking her into his arms lovingly. He crushed her lips with his own, holding her tight. She stood rigidly within his embrace for a long time before giving in, wrapping her own arms around his neck and kissing him back.

"I have to go," she insisted again when she pulled away. He didn't stop her as she ran for the door, slamming it behind her. She was gone. He turned away, to go towards the stairs.

"I guess that didn't work," Calcifer remarked from his position on the hearth, "Sorry, Howl."

"Don't be sorry," Howl replied as he began to climb the stairs. A slight smirk formed on his lips as he disappeared up the stairs. "That was only plan A. I still have one more chance to win her."

And with that, he was gone. His smile grew as his new plan formed in his mind.

He would win her back.


	7. Confidences and an Escape

**Ha! I hope none of my dear readers were fearing another long pause between chapters. I just got done watching the movie** **about... nineteen minutes ago.** **So my mind is fresh with inspiration, and I come back with another chapter!**

**I'll try to be more diligent from now on**...

**But you don't want to hear about that. You want to hear Howl's Plan B...**

Howl stood before the mirror, finger-combing his dark hair until it was to his liking. Outside the window behind him, the sky was a brilliant blue, sun shining brightly above. Only a few white clouds glided across the sky. Only a slight breeze stirred the grass and flowers. But of course, such fine weather was to be expected on the day the Prince was to wed the kind and lovely Sophie Hatter.

Howl was dressed as any other person would be dressed for such an occasion. He'd managed to pull together a formal outfit, and his coat was draped over his shoulders, as he preferred this style in contrast to actually wearing it as it was intended to be worn. With a sigh, he pulled his fingers through his hair again, pondering that a lighter shade would be far more attractive. But Sophie seemed to like it dark, so dark it remained.

Calcifer and Markl were both surprised to see Howl come trotting down the stairs. He had not confined himself to his room as he had before, but they hardly expected to see him up and dressed this morning. Heen was completely unfazed, and the former witch wore a knowing smile.

"Master Howl," Markl inquired bravely, approaching the great wizard, "Are you going out?"

"Yes," Howl replied simply, rifling through a stack of books on the table and pretending to be busy. In reality, he was just trying to kill time before the wedding ceremony started. He said no more, and left Markl just staring at him expectantly.

"Are you going to the palace?" Calcifer prompted, in the middle of devouring a log Markl had given him.

"Yes," the flat, simple word was uttered again. Calcifer, Markl, and the witch continued watching. Howl knew that all three of them were thinking the same thing. In a moment, his suspicions were confirmed.

"He's going after his girl," the witch spoke, clasping her hands and leaning back in her chair. Howl didn't answer, but he felt the eyes of his apprentice anc the fire demon still on him.

No one asked any more questions. Hours passed before Howl stood quickly and went to the door. No one dared try and stop him as he turned the dial and pushed open the heavy wooden barrier. Those who remained inside only caught a glimpse of Sophie's palace bedroom before the door swung shut and their master disappeared.

The room was deserted, as Howl had anticipated. The wedding had just begun, meaning that the bride would already be in position, as would the bridesmaids and flower girls that would have populated the room. He moved with the silence of a leaf on the wind. The falling of his footsteps made not even the faintest tap as he glided across the vast floor, towards the hallway outside.

Even the hall was completely empty. All staff would be preparing the ballroom for the reception, no doubt. No one was around to catch him. Everyone's guard was down today. He was confident as he moved through the winding corridors, moving instinctively towards where the ceremony would be held.

He could hear music being played, somewhere far off. He knew he was close, and quickened his soundless pace. His heart began to race as the music grew louder.

As he came closer to the woman he yearned for.

In a matter of moments, Howl stood before the large doors that separated him from his dear Sophie. He'd expected to see guard there, and was well prepared. He used an old trick, forcing them to walk away and become locked in a closet without once laying a hand on them. Now the only thing that stood in his way were those pesky doors. But that could be dealt with within a few seconds.

He raised his hand to eye level, focusing on the crack between the two lavish doors. He took a deep breath, and sharply swept his arm to the side. As expected, the doors swung open with no hesitation, banging loudly into the walls around them and creaking on their hinges.

Howl found himself as shocked as the guests had been to see him. Across the long room, looking at him in awe and a mixture of delight and rage, stood his Sophie.

A beaded and jeweled bodice formed flawlessly to her shape. The collar came right up to her neck, as expected from her. A diamond choker complimented the dress. At her waist, the bodice flowed out into a perfect, long white skirt that trailed on the floor. Her hair was pinned back once more, and a lacy veil was held in place by a silver ornament. There was false coloring on her lips and cheeks, but it only brought out the real beauty that lied beneath. She was perfectly stunning, there was no other way to put it.

But the fact that it was Turnip at her side that made Howl almost ill with rage.

No one challenged him, as no one knew his motives. Not a soul stood in his way as Howl sprinted down the aisle. On either side, elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen watched him with startled looks. But he payed them no mind. His eyes remained locked on the beautiful vision that was his Sophie. His jacket fell away from his shoulders in his haste, but he ignored it, finally reaching her.

"What is the meaning of this?" the turnip-faced prince demanded, gripping Sophie's hand within his own. Howl impatiently threw the man aside, seizing Sophie around the waist with his arm, and pressing her close to him.

The guards were aroused, and were beginning to attack from all sides. Sophie struggled against Howl's grasp, protesting that there was no way this could work. A smile spread on Howl's face as the guards closed in. He'd worked all this out.

They were airborne the instant the soldiers reached them. Sophie shrieked and clung to him, afraid of falling. But Howl was not going to let her fall. He'd kept her safe that first day he'd met her, and he would keep her safe now.

They crashed through a stained glass window in their escape. They were pursued, under the command of the Prince. But they ascended more quickly than their attackers were able to, disappearing beyond the cover of a barrier of clouds Howl had managed to conjure while still keeping steady.

It was exactly as the day they had first met. He held tightly to Sophie's hands to keep her from falling, and the pair walked effortlessly across the sky. Sophie kept her back to him, refusing to meet his gaze. He did not attempt to speak to her. After all, he had kidnaped her from her royal wedding. A breeze freed the veil from her hair, causing it to fly out in all directions. Her skirt flapped in the wind, spread out around her as though she were a cloud herself. It was difficult for Howl to keep his eyes off her.

"Howl," his angel spoke softly, closing her fingers tightly around his, "Were the theatrics really necessary?"

"Completely," Howl assured her, looking down into her deep brown eyes, which had turned up to gaze at him. A smile spread across her painted lips.

"Thank you," she answered gratefully. Carefully she turned, so that she could embrace him as they hung in midair. He could feel her tears soaking into the front of his shirt as she began to cry, so grateful for his persistence.

He kissed her hair tenderly as they remained suspended there. He knew that there would be consequences for this. They would have to always be running, living and loving as fugitives. But little of that mattered to him at the moment. He'd won back his dear, sweet Sophie. She belonged to him once more. And until the day they were eventually captured, he would never allow her to leave his side.

And on that day, he would die happy, knowing that because of his actions, he'd been able to not only capture more time with his Sophie, but save her from punishment as well.

And that was enough for him.

**How long can this last? You'll all just have to be patient with me, and wait for the next chapter!**


	8. White Lilies and a Growing Worry

They dared not return to the castle. Not just yet. Between the two of them, they agreed that it would only place Markl and the witch in danger. For now, with Calcifers assistance, they'd be able to manage alone.

The pair traveled far, sticking to the skies. Below, soldiers were being sent out to swarm through towns, ordered to find and capture Howl. Others scoured the very skies in search of the now-fugitive wizard and the Prince's kidnaped bride. But they would never find what they were looking for, because Howl always managed to keep both of them well hidden. It was well into the night before they got far enough into the Wastes to avoid capture.

Sophie, at this point, was practically asleep in his arms. He touched down gently on the grass, welcoming the feel of hard, stable land beneath the soles of his boots. Sophie was slumped against his shoulder, barely able to keep her eyes open. Moving very slowly and carefully, Howl laid her out on the grass.

Using her as his center, he walked in a large circle, fifteen feet in diameter, putting up every magical barrier and shield he could manage. Sophie curled right up and drifted off to sleep as he was doing this, exhausted from the long day of travel.

Once convinced that they would not be seen if someone happened across them, Howl turned back to his beloved. Her eyelashes cast long shadows on her rosy cheeks, illuminated by moonlight. The silvery glow caused her hair and white dress to gleam beautifully, perfect, pale, and smooth against the dark, rough grass. The jewels and beads reflected the light of the moon, scattering it about and making it seem like the girl was adorned in stars.

He sat down beside her, crossing his legs and resting his chin in his hands. The long trip had tired him as well, but he had to stay awake and keep watch. His whole body pulsed with a dull ache, begging for rest. But that, of course, was impossible. He had to stay alert and ready to run if they were discovered.

To distract himself from the desire to sleep, he swept his fingers in a swirling motion over the grass. At his command, a white and pink lily bloomed instantly, unfurling it's petals gracefully. Howl smiled to himself. Sophie would like that.

He went on with this, blooming lilies one by one, and watching Sophie as she slept. His mind was alive with thoughts as always. How long would they be able to keep running? How long could they keep this up before he was finally captured?

He banished these questions from his head. It was all worth it. Howl moved closer to Sophie, brushing her bangs off her forehead to clearer see her face. He leaned over to kiss her soft cheek. She stirred slightly, sighing contentedly, clearly absorbed in some sweet dream. His eyes remained locked on her, as he continued moving his hand absentmindedly, commanding more flowers to spring forth from the earth.

He still remembered the first time he had seen her. A frightened little mouse, all alone. He'd jumped to her rescue with no intention of ever seeing her again. But she'd found her way back to him eventually. And since that day, she'd grown from that scared mouse into a strong young woman, vibrant and beautiful. More importantly, she'd grown from a passing fancy to the love of his life.

He fell back onto the grass, allowing his body to succumb to exhaustion. He continued, however, to work his fingers in small circles, blooming lilies until the moment his eyes shut and darkness invaded his mind.

oOoOoOoOo

It was impossible to calculate how long he had been asleep. Howl woke up with a jolt, horrified that he'd allowed himself to fal asleep. But the clearing the two had stopped to rest in was still peacefully undisturbed. And within the circle he'd created for them, hundreds of lilies had burst into life.

Sophie was almost hidden by the big, elegant blossoms. The petals were a flawless copy of the shade of her dress, and the blush of her cheeks. She was still sleeping soundly at Howl's side, curled up against him.

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon, casting a red light over everything. The sky was still it's early-morning pink, and not even a swallow flitted across the perfect canvas.

Howl sat up, stretching and yawning widely. Flower petals fell softly from his hair, and floated to the ground on the light breeze. He turned to Sophie, and trailed his fingers tenderly over her cheek.

"Sophie," he called to her, trying to stir her from the deep unknown she'd sunken into. Her brows furrowed, and she uncurled herself from the small ball she'd scrunched into. Blinking sleep from her eyes, she sat up as well. She looked around in shock at the lilies that surrounded her, as petals cascaded from her head and shoulders as well.

"Good morning," Howl greeted, offering a small smile. She turned to him.

"Did you do all this?" she asked, her voice soft and hoarse from lack of use.

Howl nodded, plucking a lily blossom from it's fragile stem and extending the gift to Sophie. She smiled affectionately, and took it from him, tucking it into her hair.

"That was a foolish stunt you pulled yesterday," she scolded, in reference to his act of crashing a royal wedding ceremony. His smile dissolved.

"Aren't you happy?" he inquired, crestfallen.

"Of course I'm happy!" Sophie assured, grasping his hand passionately, "I'm just worried about what will happen to you when we are caught."

"We won't be caught," Howl assured confidently, standing up. Sophie stood with him. She did not press any further arguments, only sighed and brushed off her wedding dress. It had become wrinkled from sleeping in it, and damp from the drops of dew that clung to each blade of grass.

"You'll need something more practical to travel in," Howl pointed out, acknowledging her dress with a dramatic sweep of his hand. She looked down at herself with an embarrassed flush on her cheeks, and nodded her agreement.

"Shall I fix it up for you?" Howl offered.

"Please," Sophie requested.

Be backed away from her about three feet, and looked her over, trying to visualize what he wanted to make of the luxurious gown. He took a deep breath and swept his arm quickly through the air, visualizing the final effect.

It worked brilliantly. The cloth shifted from silk to cotton, and the bottom began to dissolve up until the hem reached halfway down Sophie's calves. The sleeves shrunk away as well, exposing her arms to the sun. And the expensive beads and jewels became instead an elaborate embroidery of blue thread. Within moments, the glamorous wedding gown was reduced to a breezy sun dress. When the transformation was complete, all that remained as evidence was the diamond choker around Sophie's neck. She quickly unclasped it and allowed it to fall to the ground, disappearing immediately beneath the flowers.

She took a moment to admire the dress. Howl watched her fondly as she twirled, studying her appearance. When she turned back to him, a genuine smile was on her face.

"Thank you, Howl," she said gratefully, flinging her arms around him in a loving embrace.

"It's nothing," Howl promised, "Anything for you, my dear Sophie."

A long pause.

"You do mean what you said, don't you?" Sophie asked him softly, still holding him tightly, "That we'll never get caught?"

"Of course," Howl assured her confidently, "We'll keep running, and they'll never catch up with us. Soon we'll be able to return to the castle and"-

"But Turnip knows everything," Sophie argued, "He knows all about the castle. He knows how to find us."

Howl chewed his bottom lip nervously. Of course he had realized this before. And of course he didn't believe that they could truly go on without ever being caught. Turnip Head would catch up with them eventually. He knew most of their secrets.

"I'll protect you," he reassured Sophie, stroking her hair.

"I'm not worried about myself," Sophie muttered, "It's you I'm scared for."

He could not argue with that one. Instead he scooped her up into his arms again and leapt into the air, suspending them within the pink sky and orange clouds. She clung to him, also not saying a word.

They both knew. The prince, Ol' Turnip, would eventually find them. Their time was limited.


	9. Irony and a Disaster

The castle was silent. Calcifer flickered quietly on the hearth, lazily watching the goings-on in the room around him. Markl was shuffling back and forth, attempting to keep things organized in Sophie and Howl's absence. The witch was in one of the upper levels, asleep.

Neither the demon nor the boy spoke. Both of them had silently accepted what they believed to be the inevitable- that Howl's plan had failed, and their master had been captured. Both were worried about how to get along without him, but neither dared voice their concern. Rather, they brooded quietly over what must be done to keep things in order.

The silence was broken when the door flew open. Markl jumped hastily to his feet, taking a defensive stance, and Calcifer flared up threateningly.

Through the door raced a frantic-looking Sophie and Howl. Sophie slammed the door shut behind them as Howl began to sprint about the castle, picking up anything that seemed necessary. Sophie, too, joined in this mad race, scooping up books and cooking essentials from the table.

"Howl?" Calcifer inquired, seeming dazed, "What's going on?"

"Just dropping in," Howl explained, racing past the demon with an armful of books.

"Where have you been?" Markl asked Sophie, who was going through the things she'd picked up. She cast aside anything that didn't seem important, and tucked what was vital into the pockets of her apron, which she had tied on hastily.

"Here and there," Sophie answered, shoving a box of matches into one of her pockets. Howl rushed by her, draping a blue shawl over her shoulders that matched the embroidery of her sun dress.

"What happened?" Calcifer pressed further, "Are you being pursued?"

"No," Howl answered quickly, pulling on a long, dark coat, choosing to wear it properly.

"But Turnip might be able to find the castle," Sophie continued, handing things to Howl so that he could put into his pockets what she was unable to stuff into hers. "If we're not here, we're hoping he'll leave you alone."

"So, off we go," Howl replied, throwing open the door once again and motioning for Sophie to follow.

"Promise you'll be good," Sophie warned Markl before the door was slammed, and Calcifer and Markl were left, staring after the pair in awe.

They'd chosen to travel on foot for awhile. Howl gripped Sophie's hand as they tore over the grass, running as fast as their legs would carry them. Sophie clutched at her shawl with her free hand to keep it from flying off her shoulders as they ran. Their feet pounded against the hard ground, propelling them faster. The castle shrunk away behind them, eventually disappearing over a hill.

But still they continued running. They stumbled over their feet, but still they continued racing across the landscape. They ran up hills and tumbled down them, only to heave themselves to their feet, brush themselves off, and start running again. It was only when they were certain they were far enough away from the castle that they collapsed to the grass, gasping for air.

Howl stared up at the insanely blue sky, breathing deeply. Every inch of his body has invaded by a dull ache which came from so much running and flying they'd done over the past few days. There had been times when they'd escaped capture by mere inches, but by sheer force of will they always managed to carry on.

Wearily, he rolled over onto his side to face Sophie. She was sitting up by now, going through her pockets to ensure that they hadn't dropped anything in their scramble to escape the castle before it was discovered. A harsh wind tore across the clearing, and Sophie clutched her shawl against her tightly, shivering. Howl, ever concerned about his Sophie, stood up and removed his coat to place it over her shoulders as well. She looked up at him with affectionate concern.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked gently, brushing a windblown lock of hair out of her face.

"No, not really," Howl replied, crossing his legs as he sat down beside her. She leaned her head on his shoulder with a sigh.

"This is madness," she remarked softly, "Running all over the place like fugitives, praying each night for safety, willing to give up everything to avoid capture."

"That's what people do when they love each other," Howl answered simply, leaning back on his palms, "They are willing to give up everything just to be together."

"Then people are mad," Sophie replied decisively, "But I guess that can't be helped."

Howl smiled. "No. No one can overcome the feelings in one's heart."

Reacting to his statement, Sophie gently put her hand on his chest to feel the pulsing of his heart beneath the fabric of his shirt.

"No, I guess not."

Both fell back again, lying in each other's arms. Both were too exhausted to speak any more. Sophie closed her eyes to rest as Howl watched clouds drift by overhead.

The perfect blue was obscured for a moment by a large aircraft soaring by. Not wanting to worry Sophie, Howl raised no alarm just yet. Remaining perfectly still, he willed the both of them to dissolve into invisibility until the craft passed harmlessly over them.

He sat up, now fading back into visibility, watching it go. They were searching for his castle, no doubt.

He had to protect his home.

He narrowed his eyes, focusing in completely on the craft. Raising one hand, he could sense the architecture and structure of the thing. He inhaled deeply, and rapidly clenched his extended hand into a fist, allowing power to surge down his arm. The great machine stopped in midair, controls jamming. Such an old trick- but it still worked wonders.

"Sophie," he turned down to speak sternly, "We have to go."

She sat straight up, blinking sleep from her eyes and looking confused. After an instant of evaluation, she was able to absorb the situation. Jumping to her feet, she nodded her understanding. Both took off running once more.

When the ship had sunk over the horizon, Howl positioned himself behind Sophie and took both of her hands. Black feathered wings tore through his shirt, extending widely behind him. He didn't make the full transformation, and used this to merely help them gain speed as they ascended quickly, gaining both height and distance at the same time.

"Were they headed for the castle?" Sophie inquired, quite unfazed at this point by dangling helplessly in the air.

"Yes," Howl replied gravely, "All I could do was stall them, though. Hopefully both Calcifer and ourselves will be able to get away before that ship gets going again."

Sophie uttered a weak laugh. "It's quite ironic," she said softly, tilting her head up so she could properly look at Howl, "The prince was the one who lead me to you, and saved your life after Calcifer gave your heart back. And yet, here we are, running for our lives from dear ol' Turnip."

"It is ironic," Howl agreed with a solemn nod, "He never seemed to be much of a threat."

He became aware of a whirring sound behind them. The ship had not only been repaired, but whoever was aboard had spotted them. Quickly, Howl pulled Sophie closer against him, shielding her as the dove downward, hoping to lose their pursuers.

But all in vain.

A loud bang echoed in Howl's ears, and something struck him hard in the back, sending pain shooting through his torso. The sound of Sophie's screams filled his head as they dropped heavily out of the clouds, the ground racing up towards them. He was able to overcome whatever had taken hold of him, and halted their fall just before they slammed into the hard rocks below. He set Sophie down gently, pulling in his wings until they disappeared. He winced against the sting of whatever had struck him, and he could feel blood trickling down his spine.

They'd been caught.


	10. Protests and a Sentance

Sophie's voice was frantic, though Howl couldn't quite make out what she was saying. The whirring of the aircraft that was lowering itself down to them overpowered her voice, and pounded in his ears. His mind was spinning, unsure what they should do. Pain erupted through him with every movement, but he ignored it. Gripping Sophie's wrist, he started running again, pulling her along behind him.

"Howl, you're hurt," Sophie protested as they tried frantically to escape, "We can't get away."

"Don't say that," Howl insisted, stumbling slightly, but continuing on nevertheless, "We're going to get away, we-"

He fell.

His shoe caught on a small dip in the land, and he tumbled forward, rolling down a hill roughly. He shielded his head with his arms as he pitched downward. Sophie was crying out, following him. When he finally came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, she was kneeling at his side, prattling on worriedly. He loudly cursed his own clumsiness, blaming the injury to his back.

It was that one stumble that sealed their fate.

The pair was surrounded now. Armed guards circled around them, ready to strike if necessary. Howl could hardly make sense of what was happening; Sophie was shouting as men tried to get near her.

"My lady," one spoke nobly, "Please step away from the prisoner."

"No!" Sophie argued, "I can't- he's hurt. I won't let you take him!" She spoke with a defensive passion, and she grasped Howl's arm tightly, as though she'd never be able to let go.

"Go on, Sophie," Howl urged her when his head cleared, "Best not try and argue with them."

He heard a small whimper in her voice, and looked up at her. Her brown eyes were wide and glistening with emotion. One guard came up behind her and rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Into the ship, my lady," the man requested, "Prince Justin will be pleased to have his bride returned to him."

Sophie hesitated, looking from the guard to Howl. She opened her mouth to protest again, but Howl interrupted to save her from possible punishment.

"Go, Sophie," he insisted, "There's no use trying to protect me- the law is not in my favor, after all."

Still, she refused to loosen her grip on his arm. He looked at her pleadingly, silently warning her that she should just leave him, and everything would work out. Bravely, Sophie took a deep breath and stood up, leaving him kneeling there in the grass.

"Very well," she agreed stonily, allowing the guard to take her arm, "But please- don't hurt him."

"We won't," her escort promised, "We have orders from the Prince to return him to the palace."

"How will he be punished?" Sophie inquired worriedly, never taking her eyes off Howl. He watched the two silently, already able to guess their own fate.

"That's for his highness to decide," the man's reply was automatic. Sophie turned to him, her eyes growing stern and cold.

"Well, see to it that he is not harmed until an order is given," she commanded. Having no choice but to obey who would be their queen, all the guards dipped their heads respectively. Sophie was lead away to the ship, followed by half the soldiers. The remaining half proceeded to restrain Howl.

Not wanting to make any trouble for either himself or Sophie, Howl remained still and cooperative as they bound him. He knew that if he did not struggle, there was a better chance of him escaping this with his life. And if that happened, he was willing to fight until his dying day to win his Sophie from the prince.

Crippling pain shot through him suddenly as a heavy metal charm was placed around his neck. His legs buckled beneath him and he crumpled to the ground. Inhaling deeply, he looked up at the man who had committed the act.

"What is this?" he demanded, keeping his voice unemotional.

"Countering charm," the guard explained gruffly, gripping Howl's arm and jerking him to his feet, "Numbs the powers of magical beings. Standard procedure."

Howl sighed and bowed his head, still breathing laboriously. The pain slowly dissolved, replaced with a horrible emptiness. He felt as weak and helpless as a newborn kitten, and he hated it. But from then on he remained silent. Regaining his footing, he was taken into the aircraft, and taken to the chamber intended for prisoner transport.

It was dark.

There was no other accurate way to describe the place. Thick blackness obscured everything, making it nearly impossible for anyone to move about. Howl was left alone in this small, dark space, powerless and dreading the worst. The only assurance was that Sophie had escaped punishment, and may be able to save his life as well.

Time passed.

Howl wasn't sure how long this travel lasted. But eventually, he felt them touch down, and harsh light was poured into his small, dark room. He squinted against it, and instinctively tried to raise his hand to shield his eyes. But his wrist caught painfully against the chain that bound him. The man with the lantern seized him violently.

He was led away, discovering that night had fallen over the land. He could see Sophie, a guard escorting her on either side, far ahead of him. The gates of the palace loomed above him. He staggered down the long walkway with as much dignity as he could manage. When he fell, he was plucked up and placed on his feet again, and shoved with a command to get moving.

And then they were in the grand hall. Howl looked on silently as a maid was sent to summon the prince. The man himself came rushing in moments later, catching Sophie into a loving embrace against him. Sophie rigidly hugged him back, her eyes flickering momentarily to Howl. At last, the prince turned to the captive, eyes hard.

"What shall we do with him, sir?" the guard that stood to Howl's right asked.

The prince looked Howl over, before giving the expected answer.

"Have him executed."

Howl had expected this, but it still came as a blow. His heart began to race as he turned his terror-filled eyes to Sophie, pleading for her to defend him.

"No," she insisted. The turnip-headed prince turned to her, shock written all over his face.

"He may have kidnapped me," Sophie explained, holding her head up confidently, "But he was a perfect gentleman to me. He did nothing dishonorable, and therefore should not be punished so cruelly."

The prince pondered this for almost an eternity. Finally, with a sigh, he gave in.

"Six months," he agreed, "Six months imprisonment, followed by exile."

"Thank you," Sophie said gratefully, dipping her head. Howl dipped his head as well, before he was led away again.

Rapidly he jerked his head around to spare a final look at Sophie before the doors were shut, and he was hauled away to the south tower.

The tower was bound by the same charm that numbed Howl's abilities. Hs bindings were removed, as was the pendant, and he was thrown into a small tower room high above ground. There were no furnishings, only a small barred window, with space only large enough to extend two fingers through.

But through this small window, he had a view of a balcony across the courtyard. And on that balcony, he could plainly see Sophie, standing beside her Prince.

Perhaps he would not be killed, but the former scarecrow was a master at painful torture.


	11. Speculations and a Reunion

Sophie and the Prince were married within the week she was returned.

The ceremony was heavily guarded, for fear that another incident may rob the people of their future queen. But there was no danger of her being whisked away now...

Howl saw the celebrations from the small tower window, which served as his only portal to the outside world. He saw his Sophie, far below him, arm-in-arm with her new husband. Even from such a distance, she was radiantly beautiful. He had no regrets about what he had done in desperation.

The only regret he had was allowing them to be caught.

He lived a sham of an existence. No one had bothered to examine the wound on his back, which continued to trouble him with shooting bolts of pain every time he attempted to move. He was allowed to leave his cell only when necessary, and only twice a day. He received one meal a day; leftovers from the servants, who ate leftovers from the royals. Each day seemed to be a separate lifetime.

Every night, when he looked out his meager window, he could clearly see Sophie moving about in the room she now shared with the prince. On cold or rainy evenings, he'd watch her reading or doing needlepoint near one of the windows. When the weather was fair, she stood out upon the balcony, chin in her hands, sighing deeply. Many times, he caught her looking longingly towards his own window, and he knew that she was worrying for him.

But then, the Prince would call her in for bed. The curtains would be drawn, and they'd be concealed from Howl's sight. He often cringed at the thought of what occurred between them when he was unable to watch.

Once the couple retired, he would slump hopelessly to the floor, lying on his side to avoid irritating his wound. And, yearning for either freedom or death, he would curl up and sleep until the early morning light peered into the small, dark room.

Weeks passed in this manner. Months, perhaps, but Howl quickly lost count. For him, time stood still. Rather than living day by day, the same day was repeated a million times. He was certain he'd go mad.

Each and every day, he awoke only to stand up and watch the world go by below him. He picked at his food, looking down at servants scurrying across the courtyard. And in the evenings, he gazed upon the face of his lovely Sophie until she was taken away from him. And then, when he awoke the next day, it all began again.

Then, one morning, he didn't get up.

He cracked open his eyes, staring listlessly at the wall. A spider crawled lazily across the floor, and a bird sung cheerily outside. But rather than heaving himself to his feet, he continued to lay there, staring at the stones in the wall that surrounded him.

The sun climbed higher in the sky, but still he did not get up. At midday, when his meal was brought, the guard kicked him hard on the stomach just to make sure he was still alive. Howl only groaned in response to get the man to leave. He did not eat. He did not move.

Then, a small bird forced it's way into the room. Howl sat up when he heard it fluttering about, and watched it for a moment. The frantic bird flew about the room, trying to find some escape. In it's panic, the poor creature slammed itself into the wall. The fragile body fell to the floor, broken and lifeless.

Howl approached the bird, and picked up the little thing, cradling it in his hands. It was a pretty bird; A lovely blue, flecked with grey and black feathers. With one finger, Howl stroked the tiny head as all the warmth of life seeped from the bird's body.

Was this to be his fate? As he held the dead bird in his palms, he began to wonder if he, too, would lose his life in this very room. He wondered how many prisoners before him had died here, alone and forgotten. A lone tear fell from his eye, and splattered onto his hand, beside the departed bird.

He laid the small body on the window as the sun began to set. He saw Sophie, sitting upon her balcony. But tonight, her back was turned to him.

"My dear Sophie," Howl whispered, gripping one of the bars, "I love you."

He laid himself down on the floor again, eyes turned upward. He watched the stars appear in the sky one by one, and the silhouette of the bird that had killed itself out of panic and despair. He closed his eyes, wondering if he and the bird were one in the same. If there was any hope, and point in carrying on from here...

His eyes did not open again when morning came.

It was at midday, when the guard came in to give him his daily meal, when it was made known that something was horribly, horribly wrong.

The guard tried to arouse the wizard by shouting, then by kicking him again as he had yesterday. But still Howl did not stir. Impatiently, the guard stooped down to force the prisoner to his feet. When he saw Howl's face, the guard knew something was amiss. His dark hair was dripping in sweat, plastered to his face, which was rosy with fever. His breathing was shallow, and his forehead was frightfully hot. More soldiers were summoned immediately, and Howl was lifted from the floor and carried down to the prisoner infirmary.

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the fever had resulted from an infection that had developed in the wound between Howl's shoulder blades. It was cleaned, treated with medicinal herbs, and bandaged. The royals were alerted immediately of the condition of their prisoner.

When Howl came to, the first thing he was aware of was the wet, heavy cloth that had been placed on his forehead. He fought to remember what had happened as he opened his eyes, and realized that he was not in his room. Rather than the cold, hard floor, he was in a cot. A young nurse sat by his side, dozing off in her chair.

_What happened to me? _he wondered, struggling to sit up and allowing the wet cloth to fall away from his head. The nurse stirred slightly, but did not wake up. He became aware that no pain gripped him as he tried to move. Cautiously, he slid one hand up under the back of his shirt, and felt the bandaging that covered his healing wound.

He heard a shout of protest outside, and turned to the door. He could just make out the words that were being said in the hall outside the room.

"I'm sorry milady," a guard was apologizing sternly, "I can't allow you to go in."

"You must allow me in," a female voice was commanding, "I demand to see him immediately!"

Howl recognized the voice, even in his state of disorientation.

"Sophie?" He cried, turning to get out of bed. A wave of dizziness overcame him, and he had to pause. The nurse woke up, and insisted that he lay back down immediately.

"Howl!" Sophie's voice cried out again. The door was thrown open, and there she stood. Her hair was windblown, and her eyes were wild with concern. Her bustling skirts were pulled up in her hands to allow her quicker movement. She rushed into the room, despite protests from the guards and the nurse.

"Oh, you're alright," Sophie remarked, relief weighing heavily on her voice as she sat down on the cot beside him. Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them away. "I'm so glad."

Howl was speechless. It had been so long since he had seen his Sophie. He fought the urge to embrace her, knowing it would only get them both in trouble. Very subtly, he placed his hand over hers, so no one else would be able to see. A small, grateful smile turned up the corners of his mouth, wordlessly thanking her for coming to see him.

"Sophie!"

Prince Justin appeared in the door, looking quite agitated. He approached his wife, and she had to quickly take her hand away from Howl's.

"Yes?" she asked calmly, getting to her feet and smoothing the folds of her long, elegant skirt.

"I asked you to wait for me." He dismissed the subject quickly, looking over Howl with disdain. "How is the prisoner doing?"

"He appears to have improved," Sophie reported, "Based upon what we were told earlier today."

"His fever's gone down," the nurse spoke, pressing her small hands against Howl's shoulders in attempt to get him to lie back down, "But if it's not too bold, his wound should have been examined upon arrival."

The prince shot a glare at the well-meaning nurse, commanding silence. "In that case," he said sternly, "I'll leave you to your business. Come along, Sophie."

As the prince turned to the door, Sophie turned to Howl. When no one was looking, she affectionately touched his shoulder. He, in turn, brushed his fingers across the back of her hand as a silent exchange of undying love.

"See to it that he's well taken care of," Sophie commanded as she pulled her hand back, addressing the nurse. And with that, she joined the prince, linked arms with him, and both left the room, followed by the soldiers.

Howl finally gave in to the nurse's commands, and laid back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. There was no denying it. Even after her marriage to the prince, Sophie still cared for him as much as he did for her.

"It would be best not to do anything irrational," the nurse warned, sitting down once more. Howl turned to face her. The look in her eyes made it obvious that she had seen the small, caring gesture between him and Sophie. Howl realized that she had also been in attendance at the wedding ceremony. "You're lucky enough the prince didn't kill you," she continued, "I advise that you don't push that luck."

She looked away, and acted as though she hadn't said a word. Howl fell back to the pillow, staring upward. As long as Sophie still cared for him, he swore to continue pursuing her. No matter what happened to him, he would continue pushing his luck until it ran out.


	12. Deprivations and a Broken Soul

They kept him in the infirmary for two days after that. He remained obedient and quiet beneath his nurse's – whose name was Adele – watchful eyes. On the first of those two days, Sophie came to visit him once more. Kind and perceptive Adele excused herself to allow the pair a moment of privacy, under the pretense that she had to make sure she had enough medicines in her supply.

"How's married life treating you?" Howl inquired bitterly, once they were alone.

"Howl, please don't do this," Sophie requested, tucking a wisp of silvery hair that had fallen free of her strict bun behind one ear, "You know this is hurting me as much as it hurts you."

"Somehow I doubt that," Howl answered, scoffing. His eyes grew kinder as he gazed upon her sad face. "But really, is he treating you well?"

Sophie nodded, uncomfortably wringing the white gloves that she'd peeled away from her fingers. Howl hesitated a moment before asking his next question.

"Are you happy?" he muttered softly, averting his eyes. He felt Sophie's small fingers immediately curl around his hand.

"How can I possibly be happy?" she demanded. Though he could not see her anymore, he could hear that her voice was choked with tears. "Knowing that you're locked in here, alone and hurt? No, Howl, I'm not happy at all."

He looked up at her again. It had been so long since he'd been able to see her up close like this. Dark circles under her eyes signaled lack of sleep, and the eyes themselves were dulled with despair. He wondered for a moment if he looked the same to her. He couldn't bear to see her look so distraught.

"I'm sorry," he apologized softly, turning his face away again. A few locks of hair fell heavily over his forehead. Closing his eyes, he felt Sophie's tender touch as she brushed it aside.

"It's not your fault," she whispered, her face unbearably close to his now. He turned to look at her, his eyes boring deep into hers. He didn't know when he would see her again. He had to act now.

Carelessly, he looped one arm around her neck and pulled her into a hasty kiss.

She was shocked and unresponsive at first, but gave in after a few moments. Howl felt hot tears slide off her face and fall onto his own. She was thinking the same thing he was; that this could be goodbye.

_A-hem._

The pair pulled apart, and turned to the doorway. Adele stood, looking completely calm and unsurprised. The young nurse bowed her head respectively to Sophie.

"My dear lady," she addressed formally, "His highness is searching for you in the courtyard."

"What? Oh! Yes," Sophie quickly composed herself, straightening up into proper posture, "Thank you Adele."

She rushed from the room without so much as a second glance at Howl. Once she was gone, Adele laughed knowingly and sat down at Howl's side, instructing him to remove his shirt so she could check and make sure his wound was healing properly.

"You must be careful, wizard Howl," Adele advised, stripping away the bandaging gently, "His highness already has half a mind to have you executed. It won't help your case if you're discovered behaving inappropriately with his dear wife."

Howl looked over his shoulder at the peculiar girl that treated him. "Is it not your duty to report such goings-on to your master?" he inquired stonily. To his surprise, the girl met his gaze and smiled sadly.

"I know your situation," she replied, turning her grey eyes back to the wound to examine it, "I once loved a man above my station. When his family discovered us, he was disowned. He was ruined, forced into poverty. He killed himself out of sheer despair, and I came to the palace as my last resort."

Howl blinked, still staring at the strange girl. "Why are you telling me all this?" he asked. She met his gaze head-on once more.

"Because I don't want you to suffer," Adele explained, "So, therefore, I shall keep your secret, wizard Howl."

Gratefully, Howl seized the woman's hand and politely kissed her fingertips. She smiled again, laughing slightly.

"A prisoner and a gentleman," she remarked as she re-dressed his wound, "That's a new one."

And thus, Howl gained an ally. When returned to his normal cell, it was Adele who visited him each day to deliver his meals and make sure he was healing properly. She would kneel beside him, and tell him what was going on about the palace. Occasionally, she was even able to deliver messages from Sophie, which kept his hope up as the weeks dragged on.

Then, one day, Adele did not come. Howl was met by a gruff, impatient soldier who tossed an apple to him and departed without a word. Howl paced worriedly about the small room, wondering what had befallen the poor girl.

The next day he learned from a guard that Adele had been violently dismissed, as the Prince had suspected her of assisting the prisoner in plans of escape. In addition, he was punished for such suspected plans, and denied food for three days. He caught a glimpse of Adele from his window, as she was escorted through the front gates by a pair of guards. He prayed she had somewhere to go, and swore that the day he escaped, he would see to it that she was taken care of.

With the absence of his kind nurse, Howl's life became unbearable again. He not only had Sophie to worry for now, but Adele as well. He felt responsible for ruining both of their lives. Each day dragged on slower than the last, as the world continued to go about as usual outside his window.

One soldier, in particular, had been extremely fond of Adele. This soldier went out of his way each and every day to deliver some form of physical torment upon his helpless prisoner. Be it a swift kick in the side or a punch to the jaw, Howl had come to expect it whenever his door was opened.

Many times, a small mouse of bird would find it's way into his cell. For a few hours it would provide meager company. But the mice always scampered away eventually, and the birds always departed as well. A few managed escape, but the majority met the same fate as the first.

And sometimes, Howl would hear Sophie's voice just outside his door. He'd listen hopelessly as she argued with whatever guard was on duty, commanding to be allowed in. But whomever she was dealing with, they always answered that the prisoner was to be kept in complete isolation. These debates could last hours, but they always ended with Sophie being summoned away by the high and mighty Prince Turnip.

Then, she stopped coming altogether.

She was never seen on her balcony again, or out in the courtyard. The curtains were always drawn over the windows of her room now, so Howl was not permitted even a passing glance at the woman he so adored.

It was soon after this that he stopped eating. Only at times when he was in danger of passing out from hunger that he spared himself a few bites. Otherwise, anything he was brought was given up to the mice.

Days dragged on.

Howl stopped even looking out the window, knowing any hopes of seeing Sophie would only be dashed. Eventually he decided that there was no use setting himself up for disappointment every day.

Weeks.

The abuse from the guards continued. Howl lost the will to fight back. He would lie still as he was beaten, sometimes to the point where he started spitting up blood.

Months.

And then, the door was opened.

He was bound once more, the charm placed around his neck. Led like a dog, he was taken from the tower.

He was a broken shell of a man now. His eyes were sunken and emotionless, his skin chalky, marred by bruises. His clothing hung limply from his thin body. He stumbled often as he was taken away from the palace, essentially dragged to the outmost edge of the city. He kept his eyes down, not looking up at people he passed by. The only time he looked up was when he heard a familiar voice, and saw Adele watching him from where she was hanging clothes for a well-to-do family. She offered a sympathetic look, before disappearing as he was hauled away.

They took him far out into the Wastes, far beyond the city limits. When they put enough land behind them, they stopped. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as his chains were removed. One guard was reading from a piece of parchment, but Howl only caught bits and pieces of the words.

"Hereby banished..."

"...never to return..."

"...killed on sight, if seen again..."

"...by order of the Crown Prince Justin and his bride, Lady Sophie."

At the same time her name was uttered, the charm was lifted from around Howl's neck. He gasped loudly as all his former power surged into him once more. He was once again reminded that he would be killed on sight if ever seen again, but at that point he was ignoring them.

He flung his wings out broadly, shooting up into the air with a shout of rejoice.

The soldiers retreated frightfully as Howl spiraled through the air, taking in the full joy of having his freedom back. Flying had never felt so invigorating.

He was free.

And soon, he would free Sophie, as well.


	13. Returns and a Desperate Hope

Calcifer and Markl had given up hope of Howl's return many months before. Misery and despair settled over the castle. After two months of their masters absence, the once-fearsome Witch of the Waste died quietly. It was Markl who had to carry the body away and bury it. Day after day, the young boy managed the castle, Calcifer offering what little assistance he could.

Markl kept himself going through the shop Howl had opened, heading out every few weeks to spend the money earned on food. He then would do the dishes as Sophie would have, and looked after Heen. At night, he fought against tears as he studied magic books, trying to keep up his education even if Howl was never to return.

Both boy and demon were certain they would never see the wizard again. Neither spoke about it. Neither spoke about anything anymore. Silence took over, only thickening the gloom that had settled in upon they day it was made clear that Howl would never return.

The evening was quiet, as usual. Markl was hunched over a book, his brow furrowed. He looked far more distraught than any boy his age should ever be forced to look. Calcifer was watching the door, alert and thoughtful, tensely anticipating... something. Yes, something would happen. He just didn't know what it was at that point.

The sun had just sunk below the horizon when the doorknob began to turn slowly. A low click echoed around the small room as the door was opened. Markl turned up to watch the door, muscles tensed for any attack. He was ready for anything, except what happened next.

The door slammed shut, and the visitor emerged from the shadow of the doorway. A yelp of surprise was emitted from both Calcifer and Markl as they recognized the weary form of their long-awaited master.

"Master Howl!" Markl exclaimed, pure joy lighting up his young face as he jumped up from his chair. Howl offered no greeting as he collapsed into another chair on the other side of the table. He sighed, finger-combing his hair. His bruises had begun to fade, aided by the small amount of magic he had applied to them. As a wizard, he had been returned to full power. But as a man, he was still a shadow of his former self.

"What happened?" Calcifer inquired curiously, looking over Howl with a quizzical expression.

"I've been to Hell and back," Howl replied, his voice hoarse from going so long without speaking. Sighing, he leaned forward onto the table, burying his head in his arms. No more questions were asked on the matter. For a long time Howl remained slumped over in this position, appearing to be asleep. But eventually he raised his head, and turned his bruised and sunken eyes to Calcifer.

"What has occurred in my absence?" he demanded, straightening up to his proper height. Calcifer hesitated a moment before giving his answer.

"Markl has been maintaining things," the fire demon reported, "The witch, however, died a few months ago."

Howl nodded, and sighed once more, his head in his hands. He felt so guilty for everything. Because of him, a woman had died, a boy had been forced to live and uphold the castle alone, a young girl had been forced out of a job, and Sophie... his dear Sophie, was unhappily living with the prince.

_I'll set things right, _he mused silently, glaring down into the tabletop, _I'll make it all up to you, Markl. I'll make sure you get taken care of, Adele. And Sophie... I'll come back for you. And you'll taste the same freedom I was granted today._

"Where's Sophie?"

Howl looked up to see Markl staring at him. His eyes were wide, pleading and searching for an explanation. Howl understood- the boy had come to care about Sophie, too. Howl stood up, tearing his eyes away from Markl's face.

"She'll be back," Howl promised, determination setting his blue eyes aflame, "I swear on my life I'll bring her back."

With those parting words, Howl retreated up to his room.

All night, he stayed up, pacing. He needed a way to get to Sophie when she was alone, and that would prove to be quite difficult. In addition, he had to find Adele again and make sure she was alright. He was prepared to do whatever it took. His assurance was that this time, if caught, he wouldn't be forced to live in Hell again. If they caught him this time, they'd put him out of his misery quickly.

Before he knew it, day had broken. He quickly went back downstairs, with the intention of going after Sophie that day. He'd decided to just make it up as he went along, trusting only in his own luck and sheer force of will.

"Howl," Calcifer stopped him with a stern call as he made for the door. Obediently, Howl turned around to face the demon. He discovered upon further investigation that Markl had cooked breakfast.

"What is it, Calcifer?" Howl demanded impatiently.

"I know what you're going to do," Calcifer replied, his voice still stern and commanding, "And I don't think you should go through with it."

"Cal"- Howl began.

"No," the demon interrupted, "Have you looked in the mirror lately? You're a wreck! You can't be running all over the place in this foolish escapade, risking your life and trying to win the heart of a married woman."

"Silence!" Howl commanded, his voice booming threateningly as he glared at Calcifer, "This is no 'foolish escapade!' I love Sophie, and I'll be damned before I allow her to be unhappy!"

The doorknob began to turn. Howl and Calcifer halted their argument to stare at the door. As it began to creak open, Howl rushed over to it with the means of defending his home against intruders.

The 'intruders' he found were the last he expected to see, but the only he'd ever wish to see.

Standing before him, shivering from the cold and looking tired from their long hike, stood Sophie, accompanied by Adele. Sophie was dressed in a plain green dress, rather than her usual royal attire. Adele was clad in a patchy brown dress and apron, a rag tied around her forehead to keep her hair out of her eyes.

"Sophie?" Howl asked, eyes wide in disbelief as he allowed the two women to rush into the castle, slamming the door behind them. Within moments of speaking the name, she had thrown her arms around him, knocking him to the floor in her ecstacy of seeing him again.

"Oh, Howl," she sighed, burying her face in his shoulder, "I'm sorry! So, so sorry!"

"What?" Howl asked, feeling quite taken aback as he returned Sophie's embrace. Shivers rippled through him as he held her once more- a privilege that had been denied him for far too long.

"I'm sorry I'm putting you in danger again," Sophie professed, near tears now, "But I found out you'd been released, and I wanted to be with you." She inhaled shakily, and pulled herself up into a kneeling position. "I've left the prince. For good, this time."

Howl sat up, eyes widening with a sort of thrilled shock. "You mean it?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. She nodded, and he embraced her once more, cradling her against him lovingly.

"Sophie!"

Markl came tearing down the stairs. Howl quickly got out of the way as the boy threw himself as Sophie, wrapping his small arms around her torso and pleading her tearfully never to leave again. As Sophie assured the boy, Howl turned to address Adele, who'd remained standing awkwardly near the table, taking in her surroundings.

"And what brings you here, Miss Adele?" Howl questioned, the corner of his mouth turning up into a half-smile as he looked upon his kind nurse.

The girl hastily stooped into a low bow. "I come offering my lifelong service to you, Master Howl," she proclaimed, "I pray you will accept me in your home, so that I may work for you and the Lady Sophie."

Howl laughed slightly. "Get up, Adele," he insisted, "You know you're welcome here. It's the least I can do for you."

Adele bowed even deeper in thanks, before straightening up, beaming. Sophie stood as well, as Markl rushed forward to properly introduce himself to the latest member of their little family, and explain to her how things worked in the castle. Howl turned to Sophie, and she turned to him, frowning.

"Howl, you look awful," she remarked, approaching him. Howl stood still as she tenderly brushed his bangs off his face to get a better look at him. "I'm so sorry"-

"Don't apologize," Howl pleaded, catching her wrist in his hand. Moving slow, he lowered her hand, planting a quick kiss on her knuckles. "You're here, with me, and that's all that matters to me now."

Sophie smiled, before raising herself up to her tiptoes. Her lips touched his in a gentle, hesitant kiss. They pulled apart for a moment, before meeting again in a more passionate, meaningful kiss. He lifted her off her feet and twirled her about, thanking his lucky stars that she had finally been returned to him, after so long.

He wanted to believe it was over, that they could stay like this forever.

And so, as he held his Sophie close, he allowed himself to forget that it was not the end of their hardships yet. They still had a way to go before they met true happiness, but he didn't think about it.

Rather, he completely wrapped his mind around his Sophie, and clung to the vision of their makeshift family, living happily forever.


	14. Concerns and a Tragedy

And for a time, life was good.

Adele was up each day before dawn to start breakfast for all of them. She talked to Calcifer, who allowed her to cook only because Howl proclaimed that the girl had 'saved his life'. The two got along fine, if not already great friends. When the sun rose, Sophie was up as well to help Adele tidy up and clear the table, while Howl went out to fetch whatever the two women asked for and Markl began his studies.

After breakfast, Adele would clean the castle with some help from Sophie. Howl lounged about until Adele finally insisted that the two of them got some time to themselves. At this point, Howl would willingly sweep Sophie away.

They never went far- usually staying within the secret garden that Howl always kept one portal attached to for his dear Sophie. Since Sophie's escape from the palace, they had opened the final portal as a flower shop in a small country town.

But, of course, they never lived without the quiet, nagging fear that they would be caught. Most of the time they tried to keep quiet about it, but a few grim, reminding conversations did come up. This evening, one such conversation occurred.

"There were soldiers outside the shop today," Adele reported solemnly. She was sweeping currently, though the floor was spotless, "They were searching for Lady Sophie."

Sophie sighed, not looking up from the dishes she scrubbed furiously. "Perhaps I should not have come here," she remarked, setting aside a clean plate.

"Sophie, don't say that!" Howl insisted, putting aside the book he had been glancing through to stand up and join his beloved. The women never let him do any of the housework, so many evenings he found himself watching them work their fingers to the bone while he sat around feeling useless. He looped his arms around her waist, pulling her close to him. "No one has any regrets about you coming back."

"Here, miss," Adele offered, setting aside her broom, "Let me take care of those."

Howl pulled Sophie back from the sink, despite her protests. Adele immediately shoved between the woman and her dishes, once again professing that it was her pleasure.

"But the prince..." Sophie continued her previous argument once Adele and Howl had made it certain that she was not to do any dishes, "You're all in terrible danger, because of me! You may be _killed_ if he finds us!"

"Sophie, calm down," Howl soothed, sitting her down into a chair, "It will all be alright, you don't have to worry. Calcifer will keep us hidden. We're all safe."

Sophie sighed, bowing her head. "He'll think you kidnaped me again," she went on, "I just got up in the middle of the night and walked away without a word. Oh, he'll be looking to execute you, Howl! He won't stop until you're dead!"

"Sophie!" Howl protested, gripping both of her slender shoulders, "Stop saying things like that. I promise you, we'll be fine." He pulled her into him, captivating her in a passionate embrace. "Don't you worry."

"She is right, though," Adele commented, calling over her shoulder from her position in front of the sink, "We can't allow ourselves to be caught, or you will certainly be put to death."

"Nonsense!" Calcifer put in haughtily, "I dare that turnip-headed prince to find this place. It's nearly impossible to locate."

"And I have full faith in you, Cal," Adele answered, returning to her work without another word.

"_Nearly_ impossible," Sophie pointed out softly, "But he still might be able to find us, he's done it before, after all."

Howl sighed, and pushed Sophie's hair out of her eyes. "Sophie," he said grimly, "I swear, I won't let anyone catch you. None of us will suffer like that again."

A small smile touched on her face, but sadness remained in her eyes. She nodded, and stood up, brushing off her apron. "I trust you, Howl," she replied softly, kissing his cheek. And with that, she retreated upstairs.

"Can you keep that promise?" Adele asked, her voice skeptical. Howl was quickly reminded of the warnings and cautions of his bold young nurse. Working for him or not, she was still the same person.

"Of course," Howl insisted, running his fingers through his hair. To lighten the mood, he teasingly threw in, "What's the matter, Adele? Don't you trust me?"

Adele smiled. "Forgive me, Master Howl," she returned to his sweet, obedient new cleaning lady, "Of course I trust you. Now hurry upstairs, Lady Sophie will be waiting."

"The titles are not necessary," Howl reminded her for the hundredth time, "You're not living in the palace anymore."

"Run along, _Master _Howl," she replied, using the tone of an impatient older sister, despite being not much older than sixteen.

"Until tomorrow, then, _Miss _Adele," Howl replied, before rushing upstairs to join his dear Sophie.

oOoOoOo

"Master Howl!"

Howl was awoken immediately. The sun had not yet risen. Sophie stirred at his side, slowly coming into the waking world. Blinking sleep from his eyes, Howl wondered if the frantic cries had been only a dream-

"Master Howl!"

No, someone was screaming. Frantic and shrill, someone was crying out for him. He could hear commotion arising downstairs, followed by more frightened cries.

"Howl!"

This time, it was Sophie who screamed. She shot straight up, jumping out of bed and flying for the door in only her nightdress. "Howl, that's Adele!"

Howl fully processed this information, and jumped up as well. He'd fallen asleep fully clothed once again, and his shirt was wrinkled and disheveled. But he paid little mind.

"Master Howl!" It was Markl's voice that called out next, and the boy quickly appeared in the doorway, "Adele only stepped out for a minute to go shopping... but the soldiers spotted her and forced the door!"

Sophie and Howl quickly shoved past the boy, sprinting for the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom, Howl was met by a dozen rifles pointed directly at him. Adele was held in place by a soldier, and beside her stood the prince himself, eyes gleaming in victory.

"Sophie," the prince called out, extending a hand, "Come here; you're safe now. We've got him."

Sophie shook her head, and stepped forward to stand next to Howl. "I'm not coming with you," she said bravely, though her voice wavered slightly, "I know I should have told you sooner..." she hesitated, chewing her lower lip. "I don't love you!" She stepped in front of Howl defensively, "I never loved you! I've been seeing Howl behind your back from the very beginning!"

Howl was taken aback. Sophie was willingly throwing herself into damnation, and all for him.

"I love him!" Sophie shouted.

For a long time, the prince and his soldiers just stared at her blankly. At long last, the prince straightened up and spoke.

"He's cursed her," the man insisted, "Someone get her out of the way- once the wizard is killed, the spell will be broken."

All the color drained from Howl's face as two men moved forward, grabbing Sophie by the arms. She fought back furiously, aiming a kick or punch wherever she could land one. Howl quickly rushed to her aid, demanding that they release her.

Several things happened within the same moment.

One man, finding a clear shot, aimed and fired for Howl's heart. Sophie wrenched her wrist free of one mans grasp, and Adele also broke free with a violent strike to her holder's stomach. Both women lurched to protect Howl as soon as they realized what had occurred.

The bullet bet flesh, burying itself deep in it's victims heart.

For a moment, no one knew who had been hit. Everyone looked around, deathly silence filling the room, trying to figure out who had been shot.

The silence was broken by a ragged gasp, and the sound of a body crumpling to the floor. Everyone's eyes turned down, falling upon the person who had met their untimely fate.

Glassy eyes stared lifelessly up at the ceiling, as blood dripped in a small rivulet from between pale lips. For one immeasurable second, no one spoke. Then, one person whispered the name of the fallen individual.

"Adele," Sophie whispered shakily.

Howl's mind began to race as he stared upon the lifeless form of the plucky, sharp, ever-loyal girl that had given her life to save him and Sophie. His hands began to shake with rage, and his eyes shone with a flame of grief-fueled anger.

"You killed her," Howl accused, looking up at the prince, "You killed an innocent woman."

"This is all your doing," Prince Justin fired back, "And unless you give in now, only more disaster will occur."


	15. Sorrows and a Guilty Conscience

Sophie had fallen to her knees beside Adele's body, struggling not to weep. Howl's eyes darted about like those of a caged animal, shooting glares at the armed men that surrounded him. From his place near the hearth, the prince was glaring back.

Just as Howl was contemplating how to retaliate, a remarkable but unexpected defense flared up. Caclifer burst upward, looking uncharacteristically threatening. Several men dropped their weapons and backed away in fear. Prince Justin attempted to rally his troops, but they were frightened by Calcifer's suddenly-horrifying appearance. Some of those who stood too close had pieces of their clothes set aflame- even the prince had to slap out a blaze on his sleeve.

"Heads up!"

Markl's voice sailed down the stairs, followed by the appearance of a small, pebble-like object flying through the air. The instant it hit the floor, it burst into a thick, effective smoke-screen. Soldiers stumbled about blindly, trying to seize Howl and Sophie, but the thick smoke and flickering lights from Calcifer confused them thoroughly.

Howl took firm hold of this opportunity. Swooping forward, he scooped Sophie up in one arm, and Adele's body up in the other. Guns were firing now as the disoriented soldiers shot randomly about. Above the sound, the prince's voice could be heard shouting hopeless commands to his men.

Dodging bullets as he ran, Howl shouted out for Markl, searching through the smoke screen for the boy.

"Howl, get out of here!" Calcifer's voice rang out above all other sound, "Markl and I can hold them off here, just GO!"

Howl obeyed, sprinting for the door. He placed Sophie back on her feet and pushed her ahead, shielding her from the danger that went on behind them. They were right near the door now- he could hear soldiers trying to pursue. Shoving Sophie out the door, Howl quickly turned to face them. Supporting Adele's body in one hand, he used the other to magically sweep everyone away from the door. As soldiers flew into the furniture and walls, Howl made his escape, extending his broad, black wings as he ran. Hastily, he was able to pluck Sophie off her feet and soar up, slightly weighed down by Adele's corpse.

Within minutes, they were far away from the chaos at the castle. They touched down several miles away to rest. Sophie pulled her knees up to her chest and sighed, shaking slightly out of fear. Howl laid Adele down in the grass, and began to pry up the soil using only his hands, scraping at the dirt with his fingernails.

After minutes of this, Sophie kneeled down, and began to work the soil with her fingers as well. Neither spoke, they just continued to shove the dirt out of the way. Howl used a little magic to assist them, but it was still slow, laborious work. The sun rose high in the morning sky as they worked, trying to move as quickly as possible before they had to run off again to escape their assailants.

It was well into the afternoon by the time they'd dug a narrow, shallow grave for their loyal companion. Howl lifted her arms, and Sophie lifted her legs, and laid her to rest in the dirt. There was nothing peaceful about her appearance- her eyes still stared upward in horror, and blood bubbled up between slightly parted lips, and soaked the front of her modest dress. Trying to at least restore some serenity in her normally calm composure, Howl gently shut her eyelids, and wiped the blood off her chin with his sleeve. Sophie plucked up a cluster of flowers, and used the blossoms to cover the bloodstains on her front.

"Adele," Howl said softly, straightening up and looking sadly down at the young woman, "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten. You'll be honored as long as those you sought to protect remain alive. Farewell."

"Farewell," Sophie agreed softly, nodding her head.

With those parting words, the pushed the dirt back over Adele's body, concealing her from the world. When the only evidence of their toil was a small mound of dirt in the otherwise undisturbed earth, Howl kneeled, sweeping his hand slowly over the ground. Over the small mound grew a fantastic tangle of thorns and golden yellow roses.

"Howl," Sophie spoke, touching his arm hesitantly, "We have to go."

Howl nodded, and swept Sophie up again, leaping into the air. They left Adele at rest there, regretting that they could not give the caring woman a proper burial.

_This is all your doing..._

Prince Justin's words remained fresh in Howl's mind, echoing through his head with horrible clarity.

_And unless you give in now, more disaster will occur..._

What was the man prepared to do? Howl clutched Sophie tighter to him, wondering what price they both might have to pay for this. One innocent woman had already died protecting them. It had not been wise to leave Markl and Calcifer alone... would they be hurt?

Should he just... turn himself in?

When the sun set, the two returned to earth again, finding shelter under a cluster of thick pines. No conversation passed between them as they cleared the ground of pine needles, and sat down. Howl leaned against one tree, with Sophie resting against his shoulder.

_All your doing. All your doing. All your doing..._

Howl struggled to force the accusation from his mind, but could not. He felt so guilty about what had happened to Adele, what he was putting his friends through now.

It would have been better if that bullet had hit him instead..

"Howl," Sophie said softly, turning her face up to gaze at him with her big brown eyes, "You feel bad about what happened." It was not a question. Howl sighed.

"I do," he confessed, "This never would have happened if I wasn't so selfish."

"You're not selfish," Sophie assured, kissing his jaw lightly, "You're just in love, as am I. Don't blame yourself."

Howl smiled slightly, leaning in to kiss Sophie back. He still felt guilty, but she was right. If given a second chance, he would not have stopped himself from pursuing his dear Sophie.

"Sophie," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist, "I love you."

"I love you, too," Sophie answered, nuzzling into the curve where his neck became his shoulder.

In the dark of the night, Howl awoke at the sound of a loud shout. Sophie awoke with a jolt at his side, and gasped. All around them, in a big circle, guards pointed rifles at them. In front of them, Prince Justin looked down on them with a stern glare, a lantern gripped in one gloved hand.

"Come quietly," the prince commanded, "And we won't have to resort to violence."

They had little other choices at that point. So, weak and weary, the two stood. Guards flocked to them, preparing to whisk Sophie away and bind Howl. At the sight of the Countering Charm, Howl shuddered away from them, resulting in a hard blow to the back of his head with the wooden end of a rifle. Blood trickled through his hair, and he was forced to succumb to the crippling powers of the charm again. It was placed over his head, and he fell to his knees with a gasping breath. He was struck again in the shoulder blade.

He struggled to his feet, but pitched forward again into the dirt. A moment later, he felt Sophie's hands close around his upper arms, helping him up. Howl was able to regain his footing with her assistance. A guard moved forward to separate them, but Sophie turned on him with a glare so fierce, he stopped in his tracks.

"I insist," Sophie said, standing beside Howl and placing a hand on his shoulder, "That if he is to be treated as a prisoner, then I shall be treated as a prisoner as well." She extended her arms towards the man that had approached them. "So chain me up- I'm not leaving him."

The prince tried to argue, but Sophie would not give in. Unable to beat her ornery ways, the prince gave up and gave the order. Standing faithfully beside her true love, Sophie remained still as chains were bound around her wrists, and a rope was tied about her neck so that the two of them could be led behind the soldiers.

"Sophie, you don't have to do this," Howl insisted as the men fell into formation, pulling the prisoners along in back.

"Yes, I do," Sophie answered calmly, keeping her chin held up, "You're no guiltier than I."

Though their wrists remained firmly chained together, Howl was able to reach over and take Sophie's hand. And the pair of them stood straight and walked on, Howl stumbling occasionally from the effects of the charm around his neck. Neither were certain of their fate, but they bravely moved towards it.


	16. Regrets and a Resignation

The experience of being carted off to meet his punishment for a second time was both more dreadful and more comforting. Howl was grateful to have Sophie at his side in the dark prison transport, but at the same time wished she did not have to be put through such horrors. He apologized to her countless times, but she always answered that he shouldn't be sorry, insisting this was all her doing for not leaving the prince sooner.

After being shut into the small, dark area that they would remain in until they reached the palace, the pair had lapsed into silence. This left Howl to wonder what would befall them when they arrived. There was little doubt in his mind what the consequences would be...

The thought of death terrified him. If he were to die, that meant eternal separation from his Sophie. She'd be left behind with the prince, lonely and unhappy. Markl would have to take over at the castle- could he manage that? He still had the store, after all.

And even if Sophie was unhappy, she'd be taken care of forever...

Truthfully, everything was set up so that everyone would be able to manage after he was killed. The whole thing would have worked better if Adele had been left to look after Marl, but such things could not be helped. The boy would have to learn what he could from books, Calcifer could offer some assistance...

And Sophie would forget him in time; she would soon have a country to run alongside the prince. It would hurt for awhile, but eventually those emotional scars would heal.

Yes, they could get by without him. But still, he was afraid. Afraid of leaving Sophie to forget him. He wanted to be with her always, and was frightened of the thought of a life without her, even if it was the afterlife.

He felt her fingers tighten around his hand, as though she had guessed what he was thinking. She gently laid her head on his shoulder, softly humming some sort of lullaby. He gently kissed the top of her head, before leaning his head against hers.

"Your heart is pounding," Sophie remarked softly, "I can hear it. Are you scared?"

"A little," Howl admitted, turning to slowly inhale her scent, knowing that it could perhaps be the last time.

"I am, too," Sophie replied, nuzzling into him, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

The doors were flung open, and almost instantly the two were pulled apart. The sun was just rising again, Howl could see a sliver of orange light as they were dragged towards the palace.

"Take Lady Sophie to my quarters," the prince commanded, advancing to the front of the formation, "I wish to have a private word with her."

"What shall we do with him?" one guard questioned, acknowledging Howl. The prince approached Howl, and looked him over thoroughly, before turning to Sophie. Her brown eyes were wide and pleading, looking as though tears would pour from them at any given moment.

"I have not yet reached my decision on how I want him punished," Prince Justin announced, straightening up. After a moment of thought, he added, "But have him prepared for execution nonetheless. I'll announce my choice after a private word with Lady Sophie."

_Execution._

A tremor ran through Howl's body as the gravity of the word settled on him. The prince had claimed that he hadn't reached a final conclusion yet, but they were still preparing Howl for his execution. It was more than evident what the likely outcome would be.

He shot a pained look at Sophie. Behind his gaze he contained a silent goodbye, and a million professions of love that would go unsaid after his death. She met him with the same look as they were led their separate ways. He lost sight of her quickly, and a single tear slid down his cheek at the thought that he'd never see her again.

He was taken back into that awful tower again, but instead of being led up to the cells, he was led down to the underground chamber. Waiting at the center of the large, round room was a single chair, crafted of metal. Howl knew that whoever was placed in that chair would suffer death by several simultaneous gunshots, and dread overtook his heart as he was led to it.

He was not cooperative, as he had been before. He struggled and fought against the men that held him, but could not prevail. He was met with hard, violent strikes from both men, and forced into the small chair.

It was a long, hard struggle before they finally were able to hold him down successfully. He was too exhausted to go on with the battle, so simply allowed them to go about making him ready for his death.

Both of Howl's wrists were tied tightly to the arms of the cold chair, and his ankles were secured in the same way to the slender metal legs. His upper arms were bound to his torso, which in turn was chained to the back of the chair. The ropes bit into his skin, and the chains were hard against his chest, but he did not make a sound. He'd given up at last.

The final precautions were made purely based on superstition. A heavy metal collar was fastened tightly around his neck, pressing against his throat. His device, while still allowing him to breathe, robbed him of the power of speech. This was to prevent verbal curses from being made as the prisoner was killed.

Lastly, less harmful and painful than the metal collar, a thick strip of cloth was tied over his eyes, hiding the world from his gaze. This was done because of an old superstition in the area that said if a convict were to look you in the eye as he was executed, then you would be cursed to an early death as well. Therefore it became a tradition to blindfold all prisoners before they were killed, in addition to making sure they would not be able to speak.

He heard the guards stalk away, leaving him alone in the big room to wait for death. He could not see, he could not speak, and the only thing he could feel was the bindings that strained against his flesh.

His heart ached as he thought of Sophie. He hated that the last time he saw her, she had that horrible fear in her eyes. He prayed that she would be excused from punishment, and that the prince would take good care of her one he was gone.

Loneliness gripped him as he sat there, concealed in his own personal darkness. The collar made breathing difficult, even more so because the chains crushed his lungs.

This was it.

This was the end.

He bowed his head, allowing tears to form in his eyes, soaking into the cloth that cut him off from the world. _Sophie... _his mouth formed around the word, but he could not speak it. So he merely hung his head in wait for his certain demise.

For hours, he was left alone. He began to wonder if they had forgotten him. As he sat in solitude, all he could think about was what he would leave behind. At least Adele would be there to meet him... he tried to imagine what advice she would offer if she were still here.

_Master Howl, _her voice seemed to speak clearly into his ear, _After all you've done, you choose to give up now?_

_I have no choice, Adele, _he argued silently, questioning his sanity as he had an internal conversation with a dead woman, _I've given all I've got, and now I'm done for._

_Howl... _he could almost hear her sad sigh...

_Howl._

"Howl!"

He snapped his head up as a new voice broke through to him. He heard the wooden door bang against the stone wall as it was thrown aside. Small, light footsteps moved quickly across the floor as a woman approached him. He realized within a moment who it was who ran towards him, calling his name.

_Sophie! _He tried to reply as Sophie essentially threw herself into his lap, throwing her arms around him. The joy of having her by his side once more outweighed the pain her embrace inflicted on him. He felt her pull away, and could visualize her eyes looking him over.

"My goodness," she spoke softly, and Howl felt one slender finger touch his neck near the collar, "What did they do to you?" She pressed her lips softly against his so as not to hurt him.

"Leave him alone, Sophie," a new voice spoke, accompanied by the heavy stomp of boots. The voice was unmistakable, it was none other than Turnip himself.

"No!" Sophie insisted, turning. Howl could tell she was standing defensively in front of him now. The prince uttered an exasperated sigh.

"Very well," he agreed, "But you are not permitted to free him of any bindings."

Howl felt Sophie's warm body as she moved up against him again, kissing his cheek. Has they made a decision yet? He longed to ask, but was unable. Sophie seemed to sense the question, however.

"So?" she inquired, turning to the prince, "Will he be released?"

A long silence. It was unbearable. Howl wished he could see the expression on the prince's face as this silence went on. He felt Sophie's arms tighten around him, and assumed that the statement would not be a good one.

"I have not decided," the prince answered at last. Howl heard the thud of his boots against the floor as he moved towards the door, "I will return in a moment, once I've made up my mind. Sophie, you may remain with him."

The door slammed shut, and Howl felt Sophie bury her face in his shoulder, clutching him tightly. Unable to comfort her, he merely sat stone-still, wishing that time could stop and he could remain in that moment forever.


	17. Reliefs and a New Hope

The prince did not return within that hour.

Nor did he return in the several hours after that.

Sophie never strayed from Howl's side, and for that he was grateful. He longed to be able to look into her eyes and speak to her for what was quite possibly the last time, but Sophie had been instructed not to remove his blindfold, and she had no key to the collar that prevented his speech. So, he merely sat still, leaning his forehead against Sophie's head, which was rested on his shoulder.

She spoke softly to him, apologizing for all she had put him through. He tried to reassure her that it was not her fault, but his attempts ended in a strangled cough. He could feel Sophie's tears soak into his shirt, and knew she was pained by watching him suffer. In an effort to comfort her, he was able to bend over enough to kiss her cheek, straining against the chains that bound him to the chair.

"Oh, Howl..." Sophie's voice was choked by tears as she gently pressed her palm against Howl's cheek, "This is all my fault, I'm so sorry."

Unable to do much else, Howl shook his head in protest to her words. He felt her shift in his lap, and her slight hand rested over his.

"No matter what happens," Sophie promised firmly, gripping Howl's hand tightly within her own, "I swear I'll be at your side always."

Did that mean she intended to die with him? _No, Sophie! _he tried with much difficulty to make the words escape his throat. _I won't let you!_ He only managed a small whimper before he lapsed into violent coughs again that tightened the collar around his throat. He felt Sophie turn quickly, and press one hand to his collarbone, hoping to soothe the coughing. After a few more seconds, this worked.

"Don't speak," she implored him, "You'll only hurt yourself."

He obliged, bowing his head as his labored breathing slowly quieted. He hated to think that their final moments together should be spent like this. He clenched his hands into fists and ground his teeth. Sophie, upon sensing his anger, stood up and placed both hands on his shoulders.

"Howl, don't be upset," she pleaded, "If this really is it, then we shouldn't spend these last minutes angry."

Howl calmed down within a few moments, and Sophie crawled into his lap again. She did not speak any more, but he wished that she would. He wanted to hear her voice...

He turned his head rapidly as he heard approaching footsteps on the corridor outside. Sophie, in turn, jumped to her feet as the door opened. The familiar sound of Prince Justin's boots against the floor grew louder in Howl's ears as the man approached.

"Your Highness," Sophie addressed him. Howl guessed that she had curtsied as she said this, based on the prince's command for her to rise a moment later.

"Sophie," the prince spoke with loving tenderness in his voice, "Is it true? Do you love him?"

"Yes," Sophie replied. Howl felt her fingers close around his hand securely once more, "It's true."

A long pause. Howl's muscles tensed as the seconds ticked by, no one saying a word. Then, at last, the prince posed his next question.

"How long?"

"All along," Sophie replied, "From the very beginning, I guess, when you were still a scarecrow. It just took us a while before we fully realized it."

Another pause. This was torture. Had he made his decision or not? Would Howl be killed, or allowed to go free? And would Sophie be at his side?

"So, you've been lying to me," the prince stated, sounding weary and distressed, "From the very beginning, you've been lying to me."

"I'm so sorry," Sophie's voice was gentle and sympathetic as she quickly apologized, "I never wanted to hurt you. But that doesn't change how I feel. I love Howl with all my heart."

"So, you weren't actually kidnaped at the wedding?" Justin clarified, "It was all a plan for escape?"

"More like Howl's plan to gain be back after I broke his heart," she answered softly, "But I was hoping he would do something like that the whole time."

Another long moment of silence. Howl knew that the prince had begun pacing by the sounds his feet made against the stone floor.

"And the second time?" the prince inquired, still; pacing back and forth, making Howl nervous.

"I ran away," Sophie confessed, "I found Adele in the town, and we left together to find Howl's castle."

"How long was Miss Adele involved?"

Such pointless questions! Could the prince not merely state whether he had chosen to execute Howl or allow him to go free?

"Since Howl fell ill in prison," Sophie answered automatically, "And till the very end, when she gave her life to save him."

The prince sighed, and offered his deepest apologies and sympathies for the death of young Adele. Then silence took over once again. Minutes passed, and not a sound echoed around the room.

Then, at last, the prince inhaled deeply, signaling he was about to announce the decision he had reached after so many long hours of pondering.

"Sophie," he said sternly, "Go to the bedroom. You and I have much we need to discuss. As for Howl..."

Howl heard the combined footsteps of several guards entering the chamber. His heart began to race rapidly. Was this it? Were these his final moments? Sophie tightened her grip around his hand.

"You will be allowed to leave the palace, and return you the Wastes."

Sophie sighed in relief beside him, and Howl's racing heart screeched to a momentary halt before starting up normally again.

"Come along, Sophie," the prince commanded, moving towards the door, "I wish to talk to you in private."

Sophie reluctantly left Howl's side, and left the room with the prince. Howl felt a painful throb in his chest when he realized that Sophie was not being released alongside him.

The blindfold was pulled away from his eyes, and Howl blinked against the harsh light of several lanterns on the walls. A moment later, the collar was removed, and he inhaled deeply, grateful for the feel of fresh oxygen in his lungs. The rest of the bindings were removed, and he was pulled up out of the chair. His whole body ached, but the relief of having life granted back to him outweighed it.

He was led to the palace gates, and the charm was lifted from around his neck. Power surged back to him, but he remained rooted firmly on the ground as the gates were shut behind him with a clang.

Longingly, he gazed back at the massive structure. Somewhere within the stone walls, his Sophie was contained. Perhaps he would never see her again. Emotional pain took firm hold of his heart as this realization weighed down on him. But nonetheless, he turned and started walking away, head bowed in despair.

He walked slowly through the town, observing the people around him. He recognized the house where Adele had been previously employed, and saw a new, bright-eyed young woman hanging laundry outside. With a sigh, he continued walking, destined for the edge of town, from where he would spring into the air and return to his castle.

He'd just reached the outskirts of town when he heard his name called loudly behind him. Turning slowly, all the wind was knocked out of him as a figure collided with him, sending him falling to the dirt. Astounded, Howl stared up into the joy-filled brown eyes of Sophie Hatter.

"Sophie!" he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around her waist to ensure that the vision was quite real. A genuine smile spread over her lips as she leaned into a passionate kiss.

"Turnip let me go!" she announced as they pulled apart, getting to her feet and helping Howl up as well, "He said he'd rather see me away from him and happy than living with him in despair. Isn't that spectacular?"

Howl instantly picked Sophie up in an elated embrace, twirling her about and laughing.

"Of course it's spectacular, Sophie!" he replied, a smile on his face as well, "We can all be a family again!"

"We can be more than family," Sophie replied with a mischievous giggle.

Thunder crashed, and rain began to pour down upon the two. But neither payed any mind. Their lips met in another meaningful kiss, their tongues entwining playfully as Howl continued to twirl Sophie about. The promise of a bright future washed over them along with the rain as they held each other close, never to be separated again.


	18. Realized Dreams

The young girl tottered across the hardwood floors, eagerly chasing a blue rubber ball. Sing-song giggles echoed around the castle as she quickly pursued the toy through the kitchen. Her dark brown hair hung messily just above her shoulders, and big blue eyes twinkled as she watched the ball bounce just out of her reach.

As she channeled her focus on it, the ball slowly lifted from the floor and began to hover a few feet in the air. The young child clapped her hands ecstatically, and squealed with delight.

"Adele!"

The child turned her head, and the ball dropped to it's proper place on the floor again. She smiled as her mother, silver hair tied out of her face, walked into the room.

"There you are, little Adele," Sophie said sweetly, picking the child up in her arms and brushing the brown locks out of her small face, "What have you been up to?"

"It seems she inherited some of her father's talent," a voice commented. Sophie turned fondly to the hearth.

"I've noticed it myself, Calcifer," she answered. The child in her arms, named for the woman who had given her life for the infant's parents so long ago, hummed in delight as she watched the fire demon with wide eyes.

"Did he not promise to return today?" Calcifer asked. Sophie placed little Adele back on the floor and moved to the sink to do the dishes that had been placed there from that morning's breakfast.

"He did," she replied softly, keeping her gaze on Adele. The child stooped down to pick up her ball. Staring hard at it, she took her hands away from it and watched it as it remained suspended in the air. She giggled musically again, smiling.

The dial turned, and the door swung open. Adele turned away from the ball she focused on. As it bounced away from her, she squealed with joy once more.

Howl strode across the floor and plucked up his young daughter, kissing her forehead and holding her close to his chest. Adele nuzzled into him, stretching her small arms up and wrapping them around his neck. Sophie abandoned her dishes and ran to Howl as well, embracing him and kissing his mouth lovingly. Squashed between her parents, Adele giggled again.

"Sorry to be so long," Howl apologized as Sophie pulled away from him, "There's been talk of another war starting- people are beginning to suspect darker motives behind the disappearance of their queen."

Sophie rolled her eyes and sighed. "Turnip better remarry soon," she remarked sternly, "Before some sort of uproar starts up."

"Anyways," Howl casually dismissed the subject, and turned his affectionate gaze to little Adele, "How have things been here?"

"Adele's become quite the handful," Sophie answered, a smile on her lips, "Her 'natural talent' is coming through."

"Ah," Howl's smile widened as he understood, and kissed Adele's forehead again.

Nearly two and a half years had passed since Howl's horrific containment in the execution chamber. Things had returned more or less to normal around the castle. Sophie had become pregnant shortly after their return, and young Adele had come about nine months later. Their selection for her name had been obvious, and the memory of the brave woman who had saved their lives lived on in the smiling baby girl.

Markl continued studying under Howl, growing steadily more skilled. And there were still occasions where Howl would have to leave for days on end in survey of the surrounding areas. But he returned as quickly as he was able to his two precious girls.

Adele squirmed up in Howl's arms so she could plant a wet kiss on her father's cheek. Howl smiled, capturing the young girl in a loving embrace. With a small wave of his hand, a daisy bloomed in front of the young girls nose.

Adele giggled gleefully, and a second, smaller daisy sprouted from the stem. Howl beamed with pride for his daughter, and hugged her again.

The vision of their family living happily forever returned to Howl's mind as he looked upon his daughter's young face. Despite all the adversity they had suffered, it had finally become a reality. He turned to Sophie as she came up behind them to kiss his cheek as well.

He knew there would be more troubles in the future, but for now, everything was perfect.

And that was more than enough for him.

FIN

And so ends this tale. But no good story can every truly end. In fact, I was considering writing a spinoff story with Adele as a young woman... please let me know if you think I should write such a thing. Reviews are much appreciated!

And until I return with a new story, I hope you enjoyed _Binding Enchantment._


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